Mona and the Monsters
by regertz
Summary: The BR verse continues...    Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy  Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon... Runs parallel to "Adventure of the Freckled Man..."
1. Chapter 1

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part I

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all  
other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: The BR verse continues...

Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy  
Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Check out the "Mona and the Monsters" main theme  
Mona action theme (Peter Gunn)  
Part I...

Peace and quiet...

College out for the summer...More important...

With two human Slayers on hand...And a peace agreement of sorts still functioning...At least for  
some vamps...Sunnydale was calm...

With things quiet, Buffy Summers had the chance to consider her future...Her options...

After all adulthood was here...With a vengeance...

Both parents gone now...

And with the coming of Adulthood...A career had to be decided on...

In addition of course to the family business she and her robotic human-souled twin sister, Buffy  
Rebecca, ran...With the help of Basey Granger, their new human fellow Slayer...And of course  
Giles and the old gang...

A family business which did at least, thanks to Giles' efforts with the Council, provide for her  
college education...And her immediate needs...But was not likely to provide for her or Dawn's  
future...

Naturally her astonishingly successful brother-in-law, "Dr." William S. Walthrop, redeemed  
vampire, "cybergenius", and junior partner in W/S Bionetics, the new world leader in cybernetics  
and artificial organ systems, was determined to provide them with anything they might need  
financially...A position heartily, if amusedly...God, Spike the mainstay of the Summers  
family?...seconded by her twin...However...

Buffy understandably wanted to stand on her own two feet...Or at least, maintain some modicum  
of independence...

And she was a leetle embarrassed...

Her robotic twin...A perfect neural copy...Had married, settled on a career, and seemed likely to  
embark on a family in the not too distant future...

Of course, she...Buffy...Had been occupied by her minor brush with death and transformation at  
the hands of Darla and Drusilla...Glory...Her mom's death...Dawn's appearance...

But so had BR...Plus redeeming her beloved, a soul trapped with a deranged killer demon in one  
body...Dealing with his fits of terrible, suicidal remorse...Helping him save the trapped soul of  
his siress, the mad and mighty Drusilla...Fighting off attacks from relatives of Spike's victims  
seeking revenge...And defending the now amnesiac, powerless, and quite sweet Glory from  
fanatics...

Plus BR had had to puzzle out the question of her humanity...Just a leetle extra sandwiched in  
there...

And she had it all together...Well, perhaps not as together as it seemed, Buffy knew...Being after  
all, Buffy Rebecca...But still...

Things sure looked together for her.

Well...It was time human sister started catching...

"Psychology?..." Dawn cut in on her thoughts, brightly...

They'd been brainstorming possible careers...

Ummn...Well, maybe...But Sis kinda has that field covered.

"Social Work?..."

Hmmn...She was good at dealing with all types of personality...And had a deep compassion for  
the tormented and condemned...Married to a practical sense of what could and could not be done  
for them.

Still...

Phone rang...Dawn grabbed it.

"It's Giles...That Krakos thing's finally popped up..."

Buffy sighed...But with secret relief...Thank God, something to let me dodge the future...At least  
for a few hours...

No big deal though if what Giles had learned was true...A minor Hell guy, a former minion of the  
Master, bent on vengeance against the humans who'd imprisoned him about the time the Master  
first tried to open the Hellgates. Apparently allowed to escape the tween-dimensions zone every  
25 years for a few brief hours to try and hunt down his old foes.

A leetle sad, really...He'd no idea, being rather a dim-brained branch of the demon race, that the  
humans he wanted were all long dead. Still he was a killer and dangerous...

"Hi, Giles..." she took the phone...

Potential...That's the ticket, Job Wescox, self-proclaimed "hottest new producer in television"  
thought.

I need...Potential.

He glanced around the street of the small Californian town...

Quiet, pleasant...Dull...

No potential...And yet...If any of what he'd been told was true...

But it looked like a thousand other nice little towns...Cutesy shops, a few nice views, ordinary  
folks strolling along...Maybe a little cleaner than most places...An unusual amount of repair or  
remodeling work going on perhaps...He sighed...

Hardly the setting for his bold, ground-breaking new TV series...

Still not bad for some exterior shots...To represent the quiet, peaceful town of Hellis...He'd  
patted himself on the back many times for that one...Docile and sweet by day.

But...At night...

Useless though for the night shots...Place like this would hold all the menace of...

So much for his innovative idea of filming on location...Getting to know the ins-and-out of the  
right little town...The moral rot and corruption breeding beneath the painted surface...

Hey it worked for David Lynch and the Northwest...

Well, the backlot would just have to do.  
An eight-foot tall, drooling, hideously deformed man raced out of a small storefront past him...

Escaped mental patient no doubt...

Young blonde woman passed him, in pursuit...Attendant most likely...

Strollers didn't seem all that surprised...Well, probably some local "character"...Off his meds and  
out of his restraints.

Mr. W returned to his pondering...This little field trip was proving a major disappointment.

Well, never trust a psychic advisor... "Go to Sunnydale" she'd told him... "You'll find exactly  
what you seek there"...

Or a tip from a "pal"... "Confidentially, Mr. W..." his cop friend had told him... "There's a town  
called Sunnydale, just out to the east...Where there's been some strange goings-on..."

Or a guy claiming to be an expert on the occult... "Sunnydale is the most powerful source of  
mystic evil in America, Mr. Wescox...Evil is rampant and barely restrained there...Only a fool or  
a TV producer should venture to such a place..."

This burg... "the most powerful source of mystic evil..."?...Please...

Still...Might be worth a look-see by night...

Hey, look what David Lynch did with Lumberton.

***  
The pathetic maniac was racing back...Towards him.

"Watch it!..." the blonde screamed at Mr. W...Who dropped back a few steps...

Always best to let the professionals handle these things...

Krakos tripped on some boards on the sidewalk and fell...Next to Mr. W.

"You ok there, buddy?" Mr W. pleasantly called.

Krakos staggered to his feet and towered over him...

"Human!...You behold the Demon Krakos the Mighty!...Tremble! And know that..."

Buffy drove the long hollow metal pole she'd been carrying through his back and he collapsed  
and dissolved into goo...

Giles, as always, right on the nose...Copper for this one...

Lucky Xander had plenty of copper pipe on hand at his construction site.

"Hi...You ok?..." she looked at Mr. W...Who stared back...

"Did you just kill that guy?" he asked her incredulously...

"What guy?..." she asked brightly...Eyeing the goo that had once been the mighty Krakos.

Who would not be returning in 25 years for his next outing.

Hmmn...Mr. W. regarded the young woman...

Perhaps there was potential here.

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part II

Mr. W. decided to stick with the blonde for a bit...Having smelled "potential" at last...

Buffy found she had acquired a fan...

Great...Now humans stalking her too...

A rather creepy little fellow at that...Regarding the small, pudgy, sandy-haired Wescox...

She was heading back toward the shop, her new "friend" hurrying to keep with her...

"Shouldn't we call the cops?..." he asked helpfully...Looking for an opening...

'Bout what?...she looked at him...

He looked back at the remains of the mighty Krakos...Well, ummn...

"I think you've had too much sun today, Mister..." she nodded at him...

Best to head indoors, she told him, smiling...Anywhere but the door I'm going to, she thought.

Xander and Anya pulled up in a hurry...

Buffy grinned to see Big Brother clearly in "Save his sis"...Well, practically sis...mode.

"Giles called us...?" he looked at Wescox...  
Is that...?

No, no...Buffy told him...

Just some guy who saw me impale Krakos close up...she hissed...Don't go on about it...

If we don't encourage him, he'll probably get bored and leave.

***...

Ah..Mr. W. got it now...Of course...Obvious...

Clearly word had gotten out...Somehow...Heralding his arrival...

An aspiring actress no doubt...Staging a little playlet for the "hottest new TV producer in  
Hollywood".

These folks her little repertory band...Well...

He pushed his card on her...Job Wescox, producer...Intertwined JW monogram...

Cute...

Great...Buffy looked at the card, Xander and Anya peering over her shoulder to look...Another  
"hot" TV producer...Just what California needs...she thought...

God, he's not another one of those reality show promoters...Looking for unusual participants to  
spice things up?

And...? he hesitated...

"Buffy...Summers..."

Xander frowned at her...

Oh...

When will I learn not to give my name out to every creepy human or demon who asks?

Anya pressed her card on him...And introduced herself and Xander.

No reason to pass up a potential income source...Especially with wedding plans in full swing...

"The Magic Shop can supply any occult or party needs..." she happily noted...

Gotta go...Buffy tried to end it pleasantly...

"Tell your friend in the monster suit he was terrific..." JW told her...Following her to the car...

Yeah...Ummn...Thanks.

Where'd he go by the way?...JW asked as Xander started the car...

Buffy shrugged as they pulled out.

Hmmn...Mr. W. pondered...

Well...She'd be at his hotel room in the morning, armed with acting resume, no doubt.

Hmmn... "Buffy" Summers... "Buffy Summers"...Nope, nope...All wrong...

Who'd believe a "Buffy Summers" as world-saving vanquisher of monsters from Hell?

Well...So long as this place seemed to have a little something...Maybe it was worth it to check  
out that place whose address he'd been given...Where he could get some "low-down", according  
to his cop friend, on the darker side of the little town.

Some place called "Willie's"...

***  
"So..." Anya looked at Buffy...

"A TV producer?...Was he looking for...?"

Probably...Buffy noted.

"For the last time, honey..." Xander sighed... "I am not going on one of those reality shows..."

I'd be voted out the first night...he noted.

Probably you being one of the votes against me...he did not say.

Getting back to what we came for...

"Krakos all set?..." he looked at Buffy...

Gone to goo...she noted proudly.

Nice to win one without the help of robotic sis...Or our new human Slayer...

Basey, the new Slayer being off to LA to meet her incoming new Watcher...Spike's great-great-  
great-great grandniece, Amelia Walthrop-Hunt.

Xander smiled to see her so obviously pleased with herself...

"Enjoyed yourself, there?..." he grinned.

"Felt good to win one on my own...Like the old days..." she admitted, smiling.

***

Strange goings on?...Willie smiled brightly at Mr. W. as he sat at the bar...

In Sunnydale?...

Mr. W passed his card...Willie scanned it a sec...Another TV producer?...  
Probably another documentary on the occult.

Oh, well...Always nice to generate a little extras work for the clientele...He looked over at some  
of the "clientele" keeping to the darkest booths...

One hand washes the other, you know...And hey, it saves the production people a bundle on  
makeup costs and whatnot.

Thinking of shooting on location...Here...Mr. W. noted to Willie...

Maybe permanently...For my new series...

Hmmn...Steadily employed customers...Willie noted to himself.

I...Might know...Some people you'd find interesting to talk to...he suggested.

"Know a...ummn...Buffy?...Buffy Summers?..." Mr. W. asked.

Willie blinked...Buffy Summers?...Can't say as I...

Mr. W. had sized up his source...And passed a $20 across the bar...

Oh...Buffy, yeah...I know her...Nice girl.

"Actress, isn't she?..." Mr. W. asked...

Actress...? Willie blinked a bit, genuinely startled...Gee...

Never really did know what she did for a living...he thought...  
A somewhat miffed member of the "clientele" had risen from his seat in the back...

It was bad enough the recent defeats and now the peace agreement had sucked the spirit out of so  
many of Sunnydale's underdwellers...Now one couldn't even enjoy one's blood peacefully in  
one's own hangout without Buffy Summers or her Slayer comrades intruding...

Scodos had been pushed far enough.

***

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part III

Job Wescox, Hollywood's "boldest new TV producer", had aroused the wrath of Scodos, former  
leader of Glory's vampire mercenaries, while seeking the dope on the unusual girl who he'd met  
earlier that day from good ole Willie the Snitch...

Who saw the angry demon rising out of the corner of his ferret-like eye...And ducked for the  
cover of his bartop...

"So..".Scodos came over and looked down at Mr. W. as he stood at the bar, trying to look over  
where Willie had gone down...

A friend of the Slayer, are we?...Scodos put his hand on the producer's shoulder...

"Don't touch the merchandise, friend..." Wescox looked at the vampire...Brushing his hand  
away...But, wait...

Slayer?...Mr. W. was briefly intrigued...Before Scodos lifted him a foot off the ground...

"Scoo?..." Willie called from below... "No trouble, please...Peace-lovers here, you know?..."

Peace?...%&#! the peace!...Scodos hollered, banging his fist as he held Mr. W. in mid-air...

Three Slayers, Scoo...Count them, three...And old Spike with them...When he and the other get  
back...Willie noted.

Scodos grumbled...But, he was, after all, a fellow who had always known the better part of  
valor...

He lowered Wescox...

"Tell the Slayers...All of them...That Scodos fears nothing...No one..." He turned away.

Wow...Mr. W. was as impressed as he supposed Miss Summers and her little acting troupe'd  
wanted him to be...After he'd gotten some blood to his head...  
Just a mo, pal...He called to Scodos...Lemme get you something...

Hmmn... Scodos returned...

Well, perhaps in the interests of the greater good of Sunnydale's underworld community...

The usual, he told Willie...Who had resurfaced.

Giles was clearly as pleased as Buffy with the outcome of the Krakos incident...

Nice to see her back in form...And to see no danger of her developing a dependance on her twin,  
despite Buffy Rebecca's treble strength and speed...

She briefly mentioned the appearance and general pestiness of Mr. Wescox...However he'd  
seemed harmless, not fully aware of what'd been going down...

No problem there, she concluded.

Giles pointed out that it still behooved her not to get too causal about Slaying in front of the  
innocent and uninformed...

All too easy to wind up someday charged with the murder of some newborn vamp who's ID  
checked out and whom no one had had a chance to learn was already dead.

"I'll watch it, Giles..." Buffy promised solemnly, looking down a bit...

But an excellent job, he couldn't help noting, unable to restrain his pride.

***  
"Well..." Scodos reflected as he drank...Whiskey, following a glass of the artificial blood  
Warren's synthesizers were providing for vamps who followed the peace agreement.

"I did do some acting back in college...Before I died..."

Stays in character...I like that, Mr. W. noted...

But when is Ms. Summers...Or whatever her real name is...Gonna show up and ask me how I  
liked the show?...he wondered to himself...

Still her partner here is a find...A real find.

What I want is to capture the darkness that oozes underneath the prettiest little town...Wescox  
explained to Scodos and a couple of his comrades who'd joined them...Mr. W. treating the house,  
naturally...  
Capture?...One demon listening looked at his mates...

Not the Initiative again?...

I need villains...monsters of evil...Who will have my audience shrieking in the privacy of their  
living rooms...Mr. W. went on...

Worthy foes of my heroine...

Hmmn...Scodos frowned at the "heroine"...Couldn't he do the show around a heroic and  
charming demon from Hell?

Battling for his kind in a world that doesn't understand him...

Doesn't go over with today's audience...Mr. W explained...

They want a female heroine...And a monster defeated by the hour's end...

But no reason we couldn't have a season-long villain each year...May even series length...

A Big Boss type...

With just that touch of character that makes him sympathetic to the audience...

You know, like the Lex Luther character.

Hmmn...Scodos nodded...

A tragic anti-hero...Or hero, if you took a certain pov...

And he had to admit...Even some of his own couldn't help secretly rooting for the Slayer on  
occasion...The heroic little girl taking on all manner of creature had a undeniable appeal.

And of course...Wescox continued...If we film on location here, we'd be needing supporting  
villains, extras...

So if you have any actor pals who might be interested in the project?...And looking for something  
steady?...He looked at the group...All in makeup...

Great to see such enthusiasm...Though he'd like to know how word got out of his coming...

But, hey...Job Wescox leaves a large footprint.

It will be mostly night work for the villains...he added.

I might know a few fellas who'd be interested...A night schedule wouldn't be a problem...Scodos  
noted...

Excellent...If my tour tonight goes well...We'll start recruiting in a week...Mr. W shook hands  
and headed out.

Hmmn...Touring tonight?...

"Just a mo, Mr. Wescox..." Scodos called him back...

If you're going out tonight...I might be able to help you...he noted.

***  
After briefly discussing the upcoming evening's activities with Wescox, Scodos alerted his mates at the bar...See Mr. Wescox has an entertaining, but safe night out...

Wouldn't want to eat the goose that lays golden eggs...

In fact, we'd better get everyone we can in on this...

Absolutely, they agreed...And a real artist to work for too, one noted...

The others looked at him...

"I've seen some of his stuff on HBO...It was great..."

See...Willie thought to himself...Give my clientele a decent break and they're willing and ready  
to get out and earn their living...

***

"Hey, sis..." Buffy, with Willow beside her, looked at Giles' new computer's screen...At her  
twin, Spike beside her...

A satellite link system had been provided to Giles by the Council at the start of the Walthrops'  
honeymoon in Europe...A long overdue tech upgrade, the Scoobies agreed.

"How's Greece hanging?..." she asked...And our amnesiac new friend the retired  
goddess?...Now recovering from her little run-through by a fanatic...

"Preety good now..." BR replied, grinning...then a slight frown...

But we had to can Athens...Gotta get Will to his appointment with the Council in England.

Hmmn...The big one...Spike's interview for official Watcher status...With all the  
privileges...And protections that position could offer.  
"You guys ready for it?..." Buffy asked...

You bet...BR smiled...Nervously...

Giles will be heading out in a day or so...And will be there to help...Buffy noted.

William winked at the camera...

Surely one look at this sincere face, he noted...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part IV...

Giles had come over for his greeting from the Walthrops calling by computer/satellite link from  
Greece...

Can't wait to see you in England, Giles...BR told him...

Really...Please be there...she bit her lip...

Landing a position with the Council as her official Watcher was a huge hurdle for Spike...But  
once jumped...He'd have the support of the Council in his ongoing quest for full redemption...

Plus a few less people out to dust him would not hurt...

Giles promised to be there...And assured them William would come through it fine...

After all...If Rupert the Ripper could make the cut...

"So..." BR looked at the camera and grinned at her sis...Having sent Spike off

"Any...Developments...?"

Well...Now that you mention it...

Giles had returned to his desk but on hearing Buffy, rolled his eyes a bit...As did Willow, sitting  
next to her...

"Did Riley stick around after all?..." BR asked, interested...

Riley Finn had made a brief return but was planning to head back to Central America in a short  
time...And had decided to visit some other cities to see friends and family before going...

Nope...Buffy frowned...Clearly not anxious to discuss Mr. Finn...  
Jerk...BR thought...I mean Sis was killed, transformed, and resurrected just a couple of months  
ago...Not to mention my appearance...And our merging...What kind of guy can't see when a girl  
needs him?...

Takes a special kind of guy...she beamed over at Spike...

I do something right?...he wondered to himself...Standing over with good old Benedictus,  
Glory's gentle doctor-god brother...

BR returned to sis...

Dad?...She asked, moving on...Meaning Dr. Warren Mears, Spike's fellow "cybergenius",  
partner, and best friend...Next to Xander, of course...Creator of Buffy Rebecca's artificial human  
brain...

Who had been eyed by Buffy...Following his excellent supporting roles in battles with Dru and  
Darla and as BR's loving dad...As a potential beau...

Fine...Sweet as always...But a leetle restrained...Buffy sighed...

"I think he may still be having deal problems with you being his "little girl"...Buffy noted...

But that wasn't the...Development...

There was no way to put this easily...So out with it...

"Darla had a baby...A human boy..."

What?...

Angel's human boy...Buffy told BR tersely...

What...

BR's jaw dropped...

"Something interesting, dear heart?..." Spike called over...Catching sight of her expression...

***

"Angie..." Wescox spoke into his small tape recorder..."Notes for my files and tomorrow's  
instructions..."

Well...Sunnydale's a bit more interesting a place after all...

Have found some promising talent...

Please get any info you can on a young woman...Actress, I think...Named Buffy  
Summers...Sunnydale resident...

Try William Morris, all the agencies you can...And maybe some of the local theater companies...

And...He paused...

"Maybe you should try that occult guy I had the interview with last week...His number's on my  
desk..."

Just ask if he's ever heard of Ms. Summers or...

"The Slayer..."

***  
"So..." Scodos addressed the gathered pitiful remnants of Sunnydale's underworld in a large  
cavern in the bowels of the town sewer system...Suffering under the multiple blows of two  
human Slayers...Following on the cataclysmic assault of Buffy Rebecca and the disastrous  
defeats of the Goddess of Glory and Victory, Darla, and Wolfram-Hart...

Only the slender protection of the much-strained peace agreement offering any cover.

"I know some of you hate the peace as much as I do..."

Here-here...Several feebly chimed in...

However...Scodos paused...There are times when reality has to be faced...

"Our kind faces utter annihilation...And serious underemployment in the current economy..."

Tell us about it...the famed Phil aka "the Voice" called from the shadows.

But help may have arrived...Scodos looked at the group...

If we have the self-control to handle the situation.

"That what I've always said..." Phil called...Maintaining his place unseen...

There's a place at the table for us in the human economy...If we just make proper use of our  
talents...he noted.

"Job Wescox, TV producer, has come to Sunnydale..." Scodos announced...

And is looking for talent...Folks with a certain flare...To give his new horror series some real  
edge.

"Horror series?..." one young vamp asked...

Not another cartoonish "horror" show...he sighed...

TV is such a repetitive wasteland these days.

No...Scodos firmly replied...This is one is special...

"He wants to build it around a character like the Slayer...A young, ordinary-seeming woman who  
destroys Evil and Saves the World..."

Every Wednesday at eight.

Oh, Lord...the young vamp rolled his eyes...

Is this what we're reduced to in American entertainment?...God, back when I was on the stage...

"Lemme get this straight..." A middle-aged appearing female came forward...

You want us to work on a TV show about the Slayer?...That shows her killing us?...And winning  
victories over us...Every week?...

"And we don't even get to kill the cast and crew?"

Would be nice to have a strong young female character on TV...A young female noted.

"We'd just be acting...It's fiction, that's all..."Scodos noted.

A chance to earn some cash...And if we let the Slayers know we're behaving ourselves...A  
chance to keep them off our backs until we can regroup a little...

Besides...Wescox has promised to include a strong, sympathetic master villain...Scodos pointed  
out...Some one who could occasionally make a case for our kind.

And we would be entertaining people...A former comedian noted...It's always nice to make  
people smile...

"That "strong, sympathetic villain" won't be called "Spike"?...By any chance?" one demon  
asked.

A mutual groan throughout the room...

Probably "Angel"...the young former thespian vamp noted sourly.

"God forbid..." Scodos shook his head...But he'll played by Sydney Mechamber...Wescox swears  
he's got him signed.

Yeah...A female noted...I read something about that in Variety...

The Sydney Mechamber?...the young thespian perked up...

My God...A chance to work with Sydney Mechamber...he noted thoughtfully.

"Who's playing Buffy?..." one vamp called...

"Mona..." Scodos replied...

The heroine's name is gonna be...Mona.

"Mona?..." several looked at each other...

Mona...Scodos nodded...And the show...

"Mona...And the Monsters..."

Hmmn...Certain uncouth ring to it...the thespian noted...

Wow...Sydney Mechamber...he thought.

How'd they ever get him?...

"So...Who's playing..." the middle-aged looking female gulped... "Mona?"

Scodos shook his head...Mr. W. is keeping that under his hat...

But the point of our meeting tonight is...he went on...

"Wescox hasn't settled on the place for filming...He wants to do location shots...Which means  
work for us...If we show him a Sunnydale that will keep audiences watching every week..."

And behave ourselves...he added.

Hmmn...The young thespian was intrigued...He could see the concept...

A beautiful, quiet little town by day...A horror movie nightmare after dark...

Very Lynchian.  
So...Several called up to Scodos...

What do you want us to do?...

"Mr. W. is touring the town...Tonight..." Scodos noted...

Lets show him Sunnydale's darker side...Safely, of course...And no kills...

Of humans anyway.

Hardly "dark" without kills the thespian noted glumly...

***

Mona and the Monsters...Part V...

Looking at her twin via the computer/satellite link from Greece...BR was shocked...

Angel...A dad?...Of a human, soul-bearing child?...

Darla's child...

"You do know what this means...?" Buffy paused, looking at her sis.

Naturally she did...After all...Buffy Rebecca was Buffy.

Why that soulful...All this time...BR thought...

All that blathering talk about how we...er Sis and he...Would be together... "someday"...

When the blankety-blank-blank... "Prophecy" came true...When his f-ing Redemption was won...  
When the world was "safe"...

When all the time...

Darla...

"It's always been Darla..." Buffy noted sadly.

Of course he fell for me the moment he saw me...er us...she went on to BR...

We're blonde...Like Darla...The Darla he's secretly always wished for...Human-souled Darla...

Who finally came to him...Just like you came for Spike, Buffy pointed out to her sis.  
So...BR couldn't resist noting to herself...Trying not to smile at her Spike...Don't wanna rub poor  
sis' face in it...

Can Robo-buffy pick em or can't she?

But she was sorry for her sis...

Twit...Bloody thoughtless, stupid...Asinine...Christ-imitating...Twit...

Well, still...It does reflect so well on mine own true...she couldn't help noting to herself.

Spike, however...While sympathizing with dear sis-in-law...Viewed it as welcome news...

Apart from the large crack in the "noble Angel on a pedestal" monument...Which...Having come  
to friendship with the Brooding one he was now astonishingly reluctant to exploit...

Although he naturally couldn't resist an inward chuckle or two...Or three...

The key point was...

If ole grandad could father a child...

Just a matter of checking to see that Hell had no claim on his new... "Brother"..er... "Uncle"...?

And one more reason to get his voyage to the lower regions underway asap once they got home.

BR couldn't help feeling pleased herself on the biology issue...

If one vamp can father a kid...A human, hopefully utterly ordinary, kid...Then...

However she felt it best not to discuss the positive aspects of the situation with Buffy just yet...

Wescox's new friend...Scodos...er "Fred" Scodos...Well, Fred had been his human first  
name...Had suggested a personally escorted route around Sunnydale's night haunts that was sure  
to provide the producer with "potential".

His "people" would be on hand and put on a grand show he'd assured him before Wescox had  
left Willie's in the late afternoon.

Not all professional actors of course, but a dedicated company all the same...

And all excellent at makeup and their own special effects...Even quite capable of doing their own  
stunt work.

A major cost-saver over other locales, Scodos had noted.

Would that Ms. Summers be along for the ride?...Wescox had asked.

Ms. Summers?...Well...

"I'm sure she'll turn up at some point..." Scodos had noted.

Very sure...he had sighed...

Just hope I get to discuss all this with her before she kills us all...he'd thought.

Terrific...Job had smiled...Of course...Wescox had hated to crush the poor kid's dreams...

You will let her know that the Mona role has been cast...?...he'd asked...

Don't want to lead her on...A fine little actress but...Gotta have a name here...

You understand.

Scodos had assured him that Ms. Summers would bear up under the disappointment...

Trooper that she was.

Scodos met Wescox just outside his hotel...Just after sunset...In the middle of downtown  
Sunnydale.

Such as it was...Wescox thought, looking around...But that was ok...

Hellis, the home town of the TV show, was supposed to be a nice little town...Picket fencedy,  
Main Street, and all that.

"Please keep by me, boss..." Scodos told Wescox pleasantly...Now wearing his human face, that  
of a mild-mannered thirty-ish dark-haired fellow...Not particularly out of the ordinary in  
appearance...

My people are very enthusiastic and sometimes can get a leetle carried away in their  
performances...he noted.

Wouldn't want you to get caught in one of our stunts...

***  
Buffy was beginning Patrol with Willow...Xander to join later, Anya having insisted on  
completing the selection of the wedding invitations this evening.

A meek-looking vamp approached them...Peace emblem prominently displayed...

"Slayer?...I bring greetings from Scodos...Our chosen leader..."

He begs your attendance at a meeting...At eight-thirty in the Market Street courtyard...He has  
urgent matters to discuss...And pledges to come alone.

Hmmn...Thought Willow...Another peacemaking vampire leader...

Hopefully not another friend of my family...Like my old beau, Leto...

Poor Mr. Letos...God rest his kind soul...she quickly added.

"What's up with your boss?...What's he got to "discuss"?..." Buffy quizzed the emissary.

Who shook his head...Such matters were not for him to know...However...

Scodos had told him to tell the Slayer...The issues at hand affected her and her comrades...All  
human Sunnydale in fact...As well as the underworld community.

Willow eyed Buffy...

"Another Glory-level crisis, maybe...?" she paused...

Buffy shrugged...Who knows?...

"Giles hasn't noticed anything special up and about...Excepting ole Krakos...Who's accounted  
for now..." she noted.

Still, ounce of preemptive striking beats a pound of bloody and desperate fate-of-the-world-  
hanging-in-the-balance struggles.

And the courtyard was a wide open place, crowded...Not suitable for an ambush, especially with  
the underworld population so visibly reeling as they knew it was.

"Ok..." she told the meek emissary...

I'll meet him...At eight-thirty...The far end of the courtyard facing Market Street...

"And he better be alone..." she glared at the little vampire.

***  
"Angie..." Wescox called into his tape recorder... "Get this all down..."

Switching to video, he noted.  
He began filming with a small video camera...

Scodos waited patiently by his side...Nice to see the boss takes this seriously...

A true professional...

Scodos politely donned "work-face" as Wescox closed up on him...Giving a suitable look of  
menace...

Great effect, that...Wescox noted...Gotta get the details on how he does it...

"Sunnydale at night..." he began...

***

Mona and the Monsters...Part VI...

Wescox had been taking some exterior video shots for half an hour when several of Scodos'  
"people" arrived...

All in make-up, naturally...And excellent work, too, Wescox happily noted...

Hard to believe they did it themselves...Be a leetle difficult to slip it past the union of course  
but...Something could be worked out...Probably involving hiring a union boss' dim-witted  
brother or niece...

And what a cost-saver...If they were all as good at it as these four...

The three newcomers...Two eight-foot demons and a vampiress in "work-face" happily staged a  
little fight for the camera...

A few passers-by noted the action and the camera...Stopping to watch...

Well, thought one...What'ya know?...All this time I thought something weird was going on in  
town...And it was just a bunch of actors...

Course that still doesn't explain what happened to my cousin...

Scodos stayed by Wescox, keeping a careful eye on the proceedings...Fortunately the group at  
present were the survival-minded, understood the necessity of good behavior...And had fed on  
artificial blood beforehand...Plus a hearty brace of kittens in the case of the two demons...

The crowd of humans gathering was quite entertained in fact...he noted happily...And Mr. W.  
obviously pleased...

But this was just the beginning, Scodos assured him...

***

Nearly eight-fifteen, Scodos checked the time and turned apologetically to Mr. W., briefly but  
politely interrupting him...

He had to leave for about one hour...To make final arrangements for the main events of the  
evening...Scodos noted...

And the future, if any, he thought to himself...

He called over one of the demons, a reasonably intelligent fellow named Grieg, who spent a  
sufficient amount of time fleeing the original Slayer to fully understand what was at stake here...

"Boss, please ask Grieg here for anything you need while I'm away...He'll take care of you  
right..."

He took Grieg aside a mo...

Not one human, remember, Grieg...

And no wandering...Everybody stays here unless Mr. Wescox wants to move...

Grieg nodded, looking at the crowd...

Actually rather nice to have fans...A couple had already asked for his autograph...

This TV series thing might be kinda fun at that...

Scodos set out towards Market Street and its remodeled courtyard...

This would work, he was sure of it...After all he had an offer he was sure the Slayer would not  
refuse...

Angie...Mr. W. spoke into his pocket tape recorder...Pausing the video shoot...

Get Jack Barclay out here first thing tomorrow...And arrange a conference call with my backers  
for the day after tomorrow...

If the rest of tonight works half as well as it has so far...This is Hellis...

He watched the remaining demon and vampiress toss each other and clash a bit in mid-air...

The swelling crowd cheered as the two executed a perfect landing...  
They smiled shyly and bowed...To tumultuous applause...

Which was not lost on Mr. W...

Looks like he had found his "potential"...And then some...

"My God..." he looked at the beaming Grieg... "Who is your choreographer?...That fight scene  
was just perfect..."

Grieg smiled a bit...

"You?..." Wescox grinned...

Oh...Grieg replied modestly...Just a few ideas I suggested to the others...And Mr. Scodos before  
we came over...

Glad you like...Boss...Grieg grinned back...

Nice to be appreciated, he thought...

Scodos was discussing the current situation with Buffy at the Market St. Courtyard...

"Surely you...In your wisdom, Slayer...Can see the benefits of our arrangement...?" Scodos asked  
Buffy hopefully...

Our community's best and brightest...Collected in one area under your watchful  
supervision...Easy to deal with if they should ever get out of hand...

"Which they will not...I promise you..." he hastily added...

Buffy stared at Scodos...Willow stared at Scodos...

Who she had to admit had been preety decent about accepting her presence...And Buffy's excuse  
that the Slayer had said nothing about her being alone...

"You and your friends?...Working on a TV horror series?...As TV monsters?..." Buffy noted..

Actors...Scodos correctly gently but firmly...And extras, of course...

Working off some of their excess hunter energy...While leaving all humans encountered  
unharmed...And many humans watching...Extraordinarily entertained...

Plus providing a healthy boost to Sunnydale's recession-battered economy...For all parties...

"But...How would I be able to keep watch over your... "People".." Buffy looked at Scodos...

While you're all...Working...

Mr. Wescox was very impressed with you, Slayer...Asked about you many times...Scodos  
replied...

Thinks you're a wonderful actress...

I told him we all worked together...A sort of repertory company...Scodos smiled...

And came together...Or not at all...

So...He'd find something for you...

"How dense is this Wescox?..." Willow asked him...

Typical human, Scodos replied...Refuses to accept the irrational, supernatural side of things...

He regarded Buffy hopefully...

She hadn't said no per se...And that was half the battle...

And he could see that she was...Intrigued...

Give us a moment alone...Buffy told him...

He nodded pleasantly...As pleasantly as he could with that face...And went off to await the  
Slayer's decision...

"You're not seriously considering this...Are you?..." Willow looked at Buffy...

Well...Buffy paused...BR told me she and Will will be in Europe for at least another month and a  
half...If he makes Watcherdom, the Council will be putting him through a training session...Plus  
they have to finalize things with the EU Cybernetics combine...

Would be convenient to have the Big Bads all in one locale...Keeping tabswise I mean...While sis  
is gone...

It might encourage the peace process elsewhere...If it works out, other vamps may get the  
message that it's better to accept the Slayers' terms and lead a rather comfortable non-violent  
existence...She eyed Willow...

Plus, she thought...

Working on a TV series might be an interesting summer job...Maybe help with the career  
decision thing...

And I'd have to hunt 'em somewhere...Might as well be where I can find 'em quick...

"If this guy can really deliver on the job thing...It might be worth a shot..." she concluded to  
Willow...

Nice to have something to put on my resume besides mass evil-killing experience...And one summer's waitressing...

I dunno...Willow looked at her...And over at Scodos...Who in human face was quietly strolling  
the courtyard...

"They might be able to get us both in..." Buffy noted...

So that we could both watch 'em, of course...

Hmmn...Summer job on a TV series...Say, I thought they didn't work in summer...Willow  
thought...And mentioned the last aloud...

"You sure the cast and crew are really human?..." she asked Buffy...

Well...Wescox was human when I met him the other day...she noted...

At least, as human as a TV producer can be...

But that's all the more reason to keep an eye on them, Buffy pointed out...If some new group of  
evil-doers is gonna wander Sunnydale disguised as a TV film crew...

Well...Willow hesitated...

Does sound interesting...

And I guess we should "Give peace a chance"...

"Who do you suppose is playing..." Willow grimaced...

"Mona"...?

Buffy shrugged...

Of course...she thought...

Mr. Wescox did seem quite interested in me the other day...

Mona and the Monsters...Part VII...

All right, Buffy told a pleased Scodos...

If I don't see your "people's" "stunts" doing any harm on my Patrol tonight...I'll leave them be...

As for the TV series thing...

I'll think about it...she looked at him.

In the bag...he thought happily...

She's hooked...We've got her...

In the most non-violent way, of course...After all...

She's now a member of our little theatrical family.

A flattered, even slightly bashful demon Grieg was basking in the praise of his likely new  
"boss"...Praise..From the "hottest" (Variety said so, so it must be so, Grieg noted) new producer  
in television...

And in the cheers of the crowd who were so taken with the antics and stunts he'd choreographed  
for the small group of demons and vamps now "performing"...

He didn't get this kind of approbation at home.

As for his cast...They were finding it rather nice to receive cheers rather than the sharp point of  
one of the Slayers' stakes...

And to think...If all went well...They'd actually be getting paid for this.

An exuberant Mr. W. was clearly near signing on the dotted line...

And the best was yet to come...With a little touch of menace to maintain that dark and  
threatening quality the series' location would call for...

A little David Lynch coming up, Grieg noted to Wescox...Just to keep things from turning too  
Disneyish.

Excellent...Mr. W. nodded...Just what he'd hoped for...

A real find this Grieg...he thought...A true artist...

Just the man to walk his cast on that fine line between the tragic and the comedic...

Gotta remember to have Angie look up his work.

The young thespian vamp ran up to Scodos...Still wearing human face...

And clearly at peace with all the world.

"It went well?..." the thespian asked hesitantly.

A chance to work with the Sydney Mechamber hanging in the balance...

Very well...Scodos nodded, smiling...

The Slayer has approved tonight's activities and will consider our proposal...

"Let the others know...And, remind them...Best behavior...I'll get back to Mr. Wescox..." Scodos  
eyed his friend...

"We have a show to put on..." Scodos left him.

First the peace agreement...Now this...What a Slayer...The thespian thought gratefully...Such  
largeness of vision...

A true professional...

***  
So...What'll Giles say about this?...Willow looked at Buffy as they continued Patrol.

Buffy shrugged...Better they're all in one place, play fighting each other...

Than scattered around town, massacring the innocent...

A nervously smiling seven foot demon passed by...Prominently displaying an emblem of the  
peace party...

Buffy waved him on...

Of course he'll say that with a British accent and a slightly disapproving manner, she finished.

Willow nodded...Hmmn...Say...

"What time did that...Scodos?...say they'd be putting on their little show?..." Willow asked her.

Tenish...Buffy replied...

You want to see it too, eh...she grinned at Willow...

"Well, we are out here to watch demons and other menacy creatures..." Willow noted.

How's bout I tell Xander and Anya to meet us there...she suggested. Buffy looked at her...

Oughta be interesting to see Xander's take on all this...Willow grinned...

"Shame your sisters aren't round to see..." Willow paused as she dialed Xander on her cell  
phone...Unless...

Ummn...Lets leave Dawny out of the loop just for now...Buffy suggested.

Prefer not to have her trying to hang around a TV series set all night long...Especially where part  
of the cast is otherworldly.

As for BR...My twin would probably take the negative side of the argument I've been having in  
my head for the last half-hour.

Don't know bout that, Willow thought...BR's a preety open person...I mean, look who she picked  
for a hubs...

"Of course I'll clear it with Basey when she gets back..." Buffy noted...

Fellow Slayer courtesy...But I'd bet she'll be willing to give it a shot.

Unless of course Amelia turns out to be a by-the-book Watcher type...

They turned left on Finch heading down on towards Main Street...Just a few blocks from where  
Mr. W. was conducting his test shoot.

Very quiet night so far...

Hmmn...Amelia...Willow thought...

"Did you notice how Basey jumps every time Giles mentions Amelia's name?..." Willow  
grinned...

Our new Slayer senses a rival, I'd say...

Well...Buffy grinned...Leetle competition is good for the soul...

And my Watcher is not one to be won easily.  
Speaking of Watchers...she grinned at Willow...

Picture our Spike...He must be on his way to the Council right now...

She won't make him wear the tweed suit?...You think?...And those glasses?...Willow looked at  
Buffy.

Who oughta know...After all...

Council of Watchers, Will...Buffy noted...And a very anxious Mrs. Summers-Walthrop...

She'll have him in tweeds, no doubt about it...Conservative tweeds...

And...He actually needs the glasses...

Don't spread this around, but my "bro-in-law" is near-sighted.

Really...? Willow grinned...

Sis made him take an eye exam...She'd seen him squinting at signs in the Mall back when they  
lived together at the Greenwood crypt...Buffy peered down a dark alley...

No one...Not even a corpse...Scodos' "people" were definitely keeping their pledge...So far.

"And all the time I thought Spike was trying to look menacing with that squint?...He just couldn't  
see us clearly?" Willow smiled.

Maybe we could get Giles to take a group picture, Willow chuckled, looking at Buffy.

Spike among the Watchers...The few, the proud, the bespectacled and tweedy...

Tell Giles it's like...A graduation thing...

William is trying very hard, Will...Buffy frowned a bit...

And all for love of...ummn, sis.

You don't find that kind of love growing on trees, you know...Buffy paused.

Oops...Willow had forgotten the little mind merge...Buffy had BR's memories of her  
romance...And probably was not completely over them, poor kid.

Not to mention being at least in part the source of Buffy Rebecca's sympathetic soul...Just Buffy  
in a kind mood on a good day, Spike had once told her...

And not always all that kind or all that good a day...he'd grinned...

"But it would be neat to have a photo like that..." Buffy smiled at her...

Something to hold over his head forever that's for sure...One forgotten sis-in-law birthday and all  
his former demon pals get a copy.

***  
A sweet young couple, their infant carefully bundled up and secure in its stroller, the dark-haired,  
lovely mother pausing to check and tickle baby...Happily strolling the downtown streets of  
Sunnydale...er Hellis, Grieg corrected...As he laid out the scene to Mr. W., listening intently...

Action...

A black-leather coated swaggerer emerges from the bushes...Well-armed, with two hulking  
brutes in support...

More than money on his mind as he eyes the lovely mother...

The helpless, hapless young father held fast in the arms of the leering brutes while their leader  
amuses himself torturing the young mother with threats to her infant...

He raises the innocent babe's blanket...And howls...

First in hideous fear...Then in hideous pain as a horrible monstrosity grabs him by the  
head...Swallowing his head up to the neck...

The mother smiles beatifically...While dear young dad reveals the face of an equally hideous  
demon and hurls the now terrified brutes onto the ground...

The lovely human "mother", now clearly in thrall, kneels in front of the stroller...at her master  
demon's...equivalent of feet...As does the "dad", a minion of the creature...

A hideous evil has come to Hellis...Again...

Cut...

Grieg paused...er ok Frank, let Sid go now...he hissed to the creature...Still holding "Sid", the  
black-clad gang leader in its mouth...

In the interests of the underworld community's future, "Frank" released his acting partner...Who,  
a true professional, maintained his human form throughout...

Wescox whistled...And gave a hearty thumb's up...

Tremendous...

The crowd gave a cheer, stamping their feet...Which Mr. W. took full cognizance of...

Willow looked at Buffy...Buffy at Willow...As they stood near Wescox, the returned Scodos,  
Grieg, and the underworld "troupe"...

Well...They'd seen better before...But...This was pretty good...

And admirable self-restraint on the part of that vampire playing the black-clad assailant with his  
head in the sandworm demon's mouth...Not to mention...The sandworm demon's...

Scodos came over, back in human face...

Would Ms. Summers possibly consider joining their next little skit?...Naturally if she didn't care  
for anything during the course of the performance she was free to take any action she deemed  
necessary...

It's just...Mr Wescox would like to see a scene with someone standing in for his monster killer,  
Mona...

***  
Willow had not had time to give Xander more than the sketchiest outline of the situation when  
she'd called to give him the new meeting place location...So that he was not quite prepared when  
he and Anya came into to the square to see Buffy in an open area, surrounded by a huge crowd...

Facing three seven foot tall, gnarled faced demons...

Willow watching intently from the crowd, caught sight of him and waved...

"Xander!..."

Hmmn...Will didn't seem in any hurry to stop the three things with magics...

Well, maybe she just wants to give Buffy a chance to handle things on her own...Giles was  
concerned she might be getting too used to leaning on Buffy Rebecca to deal with the nasties,  
lose some of her edge...

Especially what with losing her parents and the dying, transformation, and resurrection things...

One of the three lunged at Buffy and grabbed her...Lifting her as the others closed in...

Whoa...Big bro to the rescue...

"Xander?..." Anya cried as he rushed past her...  
Willow waved her arms frantically...It's ok, Xander...

He charged through the crowd...Gangway...Hero coming through...

***  
Ummn...Sorry, Xander...Willow sheepishly informed him...

Should've told you what was up over the phone, I guess...

Thought you'd get here before Buf went on...

Anya stroked him...

"You did just fine, honey..."

He rubbed his bruised forehead...The demons had been relatively gentle in restraining him but  
the key word was...Relatively...

Jumping him as he crashed through to the open area, just as Buffy made her "here's the deal"  
speech and kicked back two of her three co-actors...And jerked loose of the first...

Still he hadn't been hurt...Much...Just stunned...

Even the demon and vamp actors rather worriedly inquiring about his condition...Not wanting  
anything to mar the evening's splendid performance...

And the scene had gone off well...

Except...Willow hesitated to mention...

Wescox didn't seem...Overwhelmed by Buffy's performance...Anya explained...

***

Hmmn...Wescox frowned...Well...Hadn't been a bad effort on Ms. Summers' part...

Nice...Fast...As to the staged fighting and all...But...

Just not exactly how he visualized... "Mona"...in her battles...

A ballet dancer's grace...And still able to express her deep compassion for the condemned  
creatures she must kill...

An elegant expression of skill and sympathy...

Ms. Summers made it seem like the monster killer enjoyed her slaughters almost as much as the  
monsters did...

But then, the kid was just filling the spot best she could...

Hopefully she had no illusions about actually getting the part...

And the rest of the company...Outstanding...

Job Wescox had found his Hellis...

As for Ms. Summers...Well...

As "Fred" Scodos seemed so determined she play a part in this...Demonstrating an admirable  
loyalty to his troupe...

Hmmn...

She seemed good at some of the fighting stunts...Maybe he could fit her in as a stunt person...Or,  
to avoid the union headaches...A technical advisor...

Yeah...That always worked for the occasional mobster backer's idiot nephew or daughter...

And dear Libby would need some pointers on fighting...Ms. Summers really did seem to have the  
kung-fu stuff down pat...

Just...No empathy...

I mean, where's the compassion...The feeling...These are supposed to be condemned former souls  
for crying out loud...

Well...He'd find some place for her...

Kinda sad, actually...he noted to Scodos...Such a coldness to such a pretty young kid...

Well...Scodos sighed...You know, boss...A lot of these young actresses have been through the  
wringer...Seen it all...

But underneath that slight callousing, our Buf's a great kid...he noted...

And will give it all she's got...

Mona and the Monsters...Part VIII...

It wasn't that she had expected to walk into the lead part of the series, Buffy told herself...

Especially after one rushed performance...With no real time to prepare...

But...Geesh...

"He didn't like my performance as the Slayer?..." Buffy looked at Willow, a head-bandaged  
Xander, Anya, and a rather sheepish Scodos, current Sunnydale underworld leader...

Who had bravely come bearing the Slayer Mr. Wescox's opinion of the little scene she and three  
of his "people" had just staged...

Well, Mr. Wescox's edited opinion...Scodos wanted the deal to come off...And to live to see  
another sunset...

Mr. Wescox had said...She was...uh...Good...Scodos had told her...

Real...Good...

But just right now...Mr. W didn't think he had an acting role in the show that would suit her...

However...He was impressed by her all-around abilities and hoped she would consider the  
position of...

Technical Advisor...

Sounds like a blow-off to me...Buffy had grumblingly noted to herself...Before turning to her  
friends for their opinions...

All naturally given with the strictest adherence to honesty...

By Anya...

"I thought it was good...But that Mr. Wescox didn't seem to care much for it...And the  
crowd...Well, they were kinda sympathizing with the demons I think..." she noted...

Rather nice to see demons winning a little sympathy, actually...she thought...

Buffy turned to Willow...

It was just great, Buf...Just great...she nodded...

"Really...great..."

Xander?...  
"Well...Didn't see much after I got clobbered...But up to then..."

Great, Buf...Just great...

She looked at their smiling, nervous faces...

"That bad?..." she looked at Willow and began sobbing...

No...No, Buffy...Willow hugged her sobbing friend...

Who couldn't do anything...Even her own job, for crying out loud...right...she noted as she went  
on sobbing on Willow's shoulder...

Willow looked helplessly at the others...

Scodos helpfully noted, watching the poor girl cry, that the job of "technical advisor" usually  
went to a distinguished and qualified professional...

No doubt Mr. W. had learned somehow of her true status and this was his way of utilizing her  
skills...

Fred Scodos, former human resources director, calls on his half-forgotten "people skills" to rise  
to the occasion...

Willow looked at the vampire...Hmmn...Clever fellow, this one...

Will bear some careful watching...

Buffy peeked over her friend's shoulder...

Professional?...

Absolutely...Xander chimed in...

Wescox and the demon choreographer Grieg came over...

Grieg having suggested they stop by Ms. Summers and her injured friend...

He'd noticed the poor girl looked a leetle downcast...And he wanted to reassure her regarding his  
cast's actions to restrain Xander earlier...

"You ok there, fella?..." Grieg nodded to Xander...

Really sorry about the trouble back there...But the guys didn't know you were a friend of  
the...er...of Ms. Summers...  
No problem...Xander told him...Never been so gently handled by the undead...

Um...He looked at Wescox...By the undead...Played by actors...

Good line thought Wescox...And said so...

Picturing the scene...Wisecracking sidekick turns to Mona after the Big Fight...

Yeah...

"Mind if I take that one down?...Can never tell when it'll fit..." he looked at Xander...who  
shrugged...And grinned...

Sure...

Hmmn...Anya pondered...TV writers make more money than carpenters...If their work captures  
the public's imagination...Like those writers on "Will and Grace"...

Not that I would ever push my darling to do any work he wouldn't enjoy. And get all soft and  
puffy sitting in front of a word processor every day.

No, I love him when he's all carpentryish...Still, if he...Occasionally earned something extra for  
the long-term education of any offspring we may have...Just as a part-time thing...

Besides...He actually has been writing me poetry...And that thing for the carpentry magazine...

This is fate knocking...Anya thought...Knocking for my Xander...

Hopefully minus any demon messenger...Or large Death figure with a sickle waiting for him to  
answer...

Angie...Wescox spoke into his recorder...Repeating Xander's line...

Which was...Sparkling and hilarious...Anya noted to herself...

And he has a million of em...Which she noted to Mr. W.

Really...Wescox looked Xander over...

So...You're a writer?...

Maybe we should talk...I'd be looking for a writer who knows this town inside out...

"My beloved fiancee knows this town inside and multidimensionally out..." Anya smiled...

My...He does have that "writer's chin"...The lean, thoughtful variety, not the pudgy double  
type...And that far-away look in his beautiful eyes...she thought...

Writer?...Xander looked at Anya, then Wescox...

Well...There is that thing I've been trying to write...

And the stuff I wrote about Anya's hair and feet...

Writer?...Xander Harris?...Willow blinked...

"Of course he's only an amateur...Right now...But you should read some of his stuff..." Anya  
continued...

What?...Willow looked at her...

"Xander?..." she looked at him...

"It's nothing...It's just a couple of poems...And..."

"And a wonderful article for Young Carpenter's Magazine..." Anya beamed...

Well...Wescox nodded...I'm always ready to hear from a new source...Especially when it's from  
the locale I may be planning to work in...

Send some of your stuff over...Maybe include a scene or two based on tonight's work...

Geesh...Buffy stared...

One lousy line and Xander's a television writer?...

"Ummn...Ms. Summers... " Grieg came over to her...

"Hope you're not upset with the way the...rest of the cast behaved...Tried to keep things  
orderly..." he nervously looked at her.

"It was fine...Your "cast" was great...And well-behaved..." Buffy told him...

Especially for seven-foot Kundri demons, Willow thought...All gnarly and twisty does not make  
for a good disposition.

And you were just great...Grieg smiled at the Slayer...

He thought she'd got it just right...Quite sincerely, judging from his open face...

And his particular brand of demon had a rather open face.

Thank you...she beamed.

***  
This..."Mona" seems more like the sort of Slayer Drusilla would have made...Buffy joked...As  
she, Willow, Anya, and Xander headed home after seeing Wescox reached his hotel safely.

Wescox had treated everyone to a little dinner at the restaurant down the street and enlarged on  
his view of the upcoming series...Now a definite go for Sunnydale, he'd announced to the table's  
and the restaurant's enthusiastic applause...And his view of his heroine...Mona...

Brave, tough...But never forgetting the trapped, lost souls in the hideous things she destroys...Her  
compassion ever present...

Ummn...I mean, human Drusilla...Buffy noted...Before Angelis took advantage of her  
compassion, drove her insane, and turned her into a homicidal maniac..

Yeah, Xander nodded...I could see that...Human Drusilla would have made a very compassionate  
Slayer...

Very thoughtful and sympathetic.

Points which Wescox had stressed in his description of his noble Mona.

Buffy stared at him...Xander?...

"So that is to say?...I'm not compassionate, thoughtful, and sympathetic?... "

Willow looked down the street...Must be something going on...Somewhere...

Wasn't talking in specifics, Buf...Xander noted...

It's just...The Council has trained you guys...Well...Generally...It's kill first and ask if seeking or  
capable of redemption second...

Though since they're usually ashes by then you generally don't ask...he noted.

Buffy blinked at him...Jaw slightly open.

"I...I'm very compassionate...I married...er my neurally copied twin married and redeemed a  
vampire...I've...Spent time...with a vampire boyfriend..."

Ok, a soul-bearing, redemption-seeking vampire.

But...I'm always kind to the ones I hunt down like dogs...I do it quick and easy for them...

And usually some witty banter to lighten a grim and frightening situation.

***  
Scodos and Grieg were heading home themselves, having escorted Wescox back to his hotel  
in the company of Buffy and co...

Could it have gone better?...Scodos jubilantly noted.

Well...Grieg was pensive...

As befitting the new assistant choreographer of a new and ground-breaking television series...

And he felt badly about Ms. Summers...She'd done well, he thought...It couldn't help worrying  
him a little.

Worried?...What about?...Scodos looked at his friend.

"I don't know if Mr. Wescox has a good take on what Mona should be like..." Grieg explained...

Hard for us to bring her to real life if he's got her on some artificial pedestal...Too good for the  
world, that sort of thing.

Scodos stared at him...Blinking...

All well and good, Grieg...And I appreciate your enthusiasm...But we are in this for the money,  
you know...he noted.

No reason we can't have the money and do a solid piece of creative work, Grieg replied...

Something we can all be proud of...A real artistic contribution.

"Weren't you a garbageman in your human life?..." Scodos asked the demon.

Even a garbageman can appreciate the finer things, you know...Grieg looked at him...

I watched PBS all the time...Still do whenever I can get cable.

***  
But Buffy had secured one piece of info...

Or rather it had dropped into her lap...Mr. W. having decided her "technical duties" could include  
assisting his new and soon-to-arrive star to get acclimated to Sunnydale.

"Libby Marsden?..." Willow's eyes bulged...

The Libby Marsden?...Xander's jaw dropped...

You'll be working with the Libby Marsden?...In chorus.

Geesh...Buffy thought...

They're all gaga over a little movie star...

You'd think I never saved the world or killed a single hideous purveyor of evil and death.

Mona and the Monsters...Part IX...

Casting call...

Wescox, with the approval of his backers, had decided to begin initial casting of the smaller parts  
from "Fred" Scodos' theatrical company as soon as possible...The following Tuesday in fact, just  
five days after their performances had sold him on Sunnydale...

One must move on a good idea in the fast-paced world of modern television...

Scodos had arranged for the daylight capable demons of his "company" to arrive at Wescox's  
temporary office for their interviews...In general, a formality, Wescox had assured him, though  
naturally those obviously not up to the mark would be politely declined...At 3:30pm...With the  
vamps and other daylight-challenged "people" coming in after dark...

After all, as he'd noted to Wescox in making the arrangements...Most actors have to work day  
jobs to get by...

Nothing unusual in that most would need to come late in the day or early evening...Besides the  
shooting schedule was to be aiming for mostly night shots anyway.

While he himself would also have to join the activities later, Scodos was happy to assure Mr. W.  
that the capable...daylight-capable...Grieg...And Ms. Summers...Would be on hand early.

Now just the little matter of falsifying documentation for his little company...Not really a major  
problem, thanks to the underground network of false references and phony papers long  
established by and for the underworld population.

Which even Buffy Rebecca and her dear hubs had made use of for covering their respective  
"unusual" pasts...

Alexander Harris, television writer...

With Anya's devoted help...And constant prodding, Xander had managed to craft two scenes set  
in Sunnydale, based largely on the Scoobies' past exploits...

One, from his time as barkeeper at the U-Cal Sunnydalers favorite pub...

The other...From his adventures as "jackal boy"...

Minus of course the leetle attack on Buffy during his deranged state...

No need for either the world or Anya to learn about that one.

Buffy reviewed them at his request...Slightly grudgingly...

But had to admit...They were kinda...Good...

Never knew Xander had such a good eye for the details.

Willow was rather more effusive...Though equally surprised...

But then, she always suspected Xander had hidden depth to him...Why, when they were in high  
school and she was madly in...

Ummn...When they were in high school...She hastily corrected, looking at Anya who was fixedly  
staring at her...Tara as well.

Even Giles, who Xander very nervously asked to look the stuff over, gave a hearty, if startled,  
endorsement...

Hard to believe this was the same Xander Harris who couldn't read a chapter of "Malefactor  
Malitorum" witho

t falling asleep.

Though Giles was in fact a trifle preoccupied...The new Slayer, Ms. Granger, accompanied by  
her new Watcher, Ms. Walthrop-Hunt having returned and Buffy Rebecca due back after Spike's  
training session, he was in the midst of preparing training schedules, Patrol assignments,  
preventative planning...

The head that wears a Master Watcher's crown does not rest easy...Particularly when caring for  
three Slayers, two with rather inexperienced Watchers...Even allowing for Spike's unusual  
previous experience...

Wescox echoed their enthusiasm in a phone call a day after receiving the scenes...

Young Mr. Harris had that magic word... "Potential"...  
He was pleased to offer him a part-time spot as assistant writer...To help bring a local take to his  
writing crew.

The gang congratulated television's newest writer at the shop...Anya beaming proudly...

Not that she had anything against her future husband's carpentry and construction career...Just  
nice to know he was as multi-talented in his professional life as in their bedroom...

And "Artisan-writer" has such a nice ring to it...

Dawn insisted that he write her into the show...Well, she cast a nervous glance at Buffy...Not her  
per se of course...Just, maybe a Dawn-ish character for some actress to play...

After all, "Mona and the Monsters" would need to capture the teen audience...And a young teen  
sidekick for Mona would be crucial in that, she noted...

And of course, if Mr. Wescox should find the idea a good one...And be looking for someone to  
fill the role...she went on...Hopefully...

"No way, Dawn..." Buffy told her grimly.

You are not spending every night on a TV set around a bunch of creeps and weirdos...

Not to mention Scodos' little theater company of the undead.

Besides...Since when were you my "sidekick"?...

"Actually...Buf...I kinda think it's a good idea..." Xander noted...Hesitantly...

Not for Dawny to work on the show, of course...Just...The teen sidekick thing...

Kinda...Works for me...

"Does sound neat..." Willow enthusiastically agreed, coming over...

Buffy glared at her friend...Who clammed up...

Gee, Buf...I mean we were teens when we started, you know...she thought...Retreating to her seat  
by Tara...

"I could help you write her up..." Dawn told Xander, happily resuming her campaign...

I'll bet we could come up with something by Tuesday...

Great...Just great, thought Buffy...

Xander and Dawn, TV writers...Ok, assistant, part-time writer and assistant to the  
assistant...Still...

While I get the exalted job of holding "Mona"'s hand...

Ferrying her around town...Fetching her coffee...Plumping her pillows...Stroking her little star's  
ego...

While trying to keep an eye on Scodos' little band.

Lovely...

Oh, well...Beats working all summer at Doublemeat Palace...

Hmmn...She looked at television's newest writing team, Harris and Summers, who were eagerly  
conferring...With Willow, Tara, and Anya as enthusiastic sounding board...

I bet I could come up with a few good script ideas myself at that...

***  
Tuesday brought chaos to Sunnydale on a scale even Glory's rampage could not equal...

Traffic was hopelessly snarled from 11 am on...Less from the trucks and cars of Wescox's  
production team as from the crowds milling around downtown Sunnydale...Anxious to catch a  
glimpse of the new series' star...

Naturally the Mayor was in attendance...A rather well-meaning, clueless, ordinary human type...

Who prattled happily to the assembled crowd of local dignitaries on the boon Wescox's show  
would bring to Sunnydale...

A town sorely in need of a boost...Not to mention of good PR...So many odd incidents having  
gone on in the past couple of years, he couldn't help noting...In spite of his handlers' nervous  
nudgings...

"Hasn't anyone told him what this series is about?..." Willow whispered to Buffy as they  
watched from the charmed circle of the Wescox company...

At least I rate a seat near the center of things Buffy thought...

A young woman in large rumpled cowboy hat, jeans, and faded blouse came over to them...Hat covering  
part of her face...

"You guys with the Wescox crew?..." she asked...

Buffy Summers...Technical advisor...Buffy noted...

With a slight air of pride which Willow couldn't help grinning at...

"You with the show?..." she asked the woman...About their age, Willow noted...

Hmmn-hmmn...Just came on board, she told them...Grinning at Buffy...

"Technical advisor, eh?...What do you "technically advise"?..." she smiled at her...

No offense, she quickly added...Waving her hands...

Honest...I'm just trying to get a handle on who's who here...

I help with the stunt work, that sort of thing...Buffy explained, a tad miffed...

And you?...she turned to Willow.

Willow Rosenberg...Friend of the "technical advisor"...Willow grinned back...

And of one of the writers...Mr. Harris...she added, a hint of pride in her voice, which Buffy  
caught...

Watch it Willow...Anya is antsy enough around you already...Not that I'm not proud of our  
Xander, too.

Hmmn...Funny...Willow thought...I have the feeling I've seen her before...Even the little I can  
see of her...

"Are you one of the actors?..." Willow asked her.

Ummn...Well...Yeah...

Sort of...she noted.

Willow caught a better view of her lower face...With a pair of lips that were...Unmistakable...

To anyone who ever left their home or watched TV...

My God...She blinked, nudging Buffy...

Will?...

The girl had caught Willow's look...

"Please...sssh?...I just wanted to get in without a lot of fuss..." she smiled at Willow...

Who nodded, a bit dazed...

See ya...She left them...Heading towards the main tent...

Will?...Buffy looked at her...

Was that?...

"Your boss..." Willow replied...

Mona and the Monsters...Part X...

Though there was less excitement over him among the assembled crowd, the initial entrance of  
the other series star, the famed actor Sydney Mechamber, was considerably more grand than that  
of Ms. Libby Marsden...

A limo with himself and series creator/producer Job Wescox pulled up through the milling crowd  
to the roped-off tent and stand area just about 12:45pm...Finally kicking off the part of the event  
they had come to see, the arrival and introduction of the cast...Photographers and TV journalists  
running up in a frenzy...

The tall and distinguished fifties-ish actor emerged to a reasonable wave of applause and  
enthusiasm by the crowd...Smiling and waving as Wescox stood beside him...

Even Giles had lost a little of his pained expression in discussing the series when she'd  
mentioned Mechamber would be playing the chief villain, Buffy noted to Willow, grinning...

Though he'd been puzzled as to why such a gifted actor would be working in some crappy little  
horror show...Seeking a cash cow for his retirement fund, he had supposed in the end...

***  
Wescox took center stage promptly at 1pm...Greeting and thanking the Mayor, the assembled  
local dignitaries, and above all the crowd of future fans...

"Mona", he was sure...Would have a long and happy future in Sunnydale...

Grieg, moving out from the main tent, politely requested permission to stand with the Slayer and  
her friend...

Human crowds made him nervous...And unable to disguise himself as human he was attracting a  
slight degree of attention...  
Admiring attention, for the most part...Great make-up job, there pal...Still...

The technical advisor was pleased to consult with the assistant choreographer, Willow noted,  
grinning at Buffy...

Wescox continuing his build-up, praising Sunnydale as a fine community, symbolic of America's  
basic values...

Which he intends to expose as concealing a sleazy, sinister underbelly, Willow wryly smiled at  
Buffy...

Without further ado...Job paused...

"Let me introduce our cast...

Mr. Sydney Mechamber..."

Hearty applause...

"Miss Sally Kirke..."

Friendly applause...

Buffy caught sight of Warren stumbling around at the edge of the crowd, a guard keeping him  
back...

"Warren!..." she called...Waving...

Back in a mo...she turned to Willow...

"Mich Bramwell..."

Hmmn...Hunky...Willow noted...

Rather an impossible standard considering he plays Mona's nerd assistant...

Shame Tara couldn't make it...But one must earn a summer's living...

Unless one chooses to make cash or valuables magically appear...

Not that I would ever suggest...Willow thought...

Still, seems a shame...With our talents...

But then, she likes working with kids...  
"Susan Cooke..." Wescox beamed...

Heavy, rather wild applause for the young teen actor...

Sorry, Dawny...Willow thought...

Sidekick role filled...Oh, well, Buffy would never allow it, anyway...

Posturing little princess, isn't she...

She remembered her companion...

"You must be preety excited with all the goings-on and all..." Willow smiled at Grieg...

"Yah!...Demons forever..." a kid running past, chased by a guard, gave Grieg the high  
sign...Which he kindly returned...

Well, just hope all goes well and the Slayer is pleased...Grieg replied, smiling back...

But yes, it was very exciting...And he was extremely grateful to Ms. Summers for granting him  
the opportunity to do some creative work...

"I'm sure it'll work out..." Willow told him sympathetically...Shielding him a little from the  
crowd as she realized he was quite leery of them...Poor fellow...

Buffy led Warren back through the crowd to them...Clearly crowds had a similar effect on their  
resident cybergenius Willow noticed...

"Warren, hi...Enjoying the craziness?..." Willow grinned at him...

Do people always get this excited over a TV show?...he asked...Looking around...

"And..." Wescox had reached the climax...

Our star...Playing Mona Medaris, champion of the oppressed, fighter against all things evil...

Willow caught Buffy's slightly sour frown...

Buf...Smile for the cameras, professional attitude...she nudged...

"Ms. Libby Marsden!..."

Ms. Marsden emerged, rather better dressed than on their earlier encounter...

Hmmn...Dresses even better than Buffy, Willow noted...  
At least on public occasions...

But then, with Joyce gone and all, there have been restrictions on the old clothing allowance...

Wild cheers from the crowd...Guards struggling to hold the fans back...

Oddly the same expression on both Warren and Grieg's faces...Nervous dread...

Their gallant companions took them each in hand...Poor guys, Buffy and Willow thought...

Little too much for them...

Buffy caught sight of Ms. Marsden looking over at her...Shrugging and grinning...A hair  
nervously as she held Mechamber by the arm...

Little too much for her too...

Mechamber was patting her shoulder gently...Occasionally whispering...

Little Ms. Cooke preening happily for the cameras and her fans...

Rest of the cast jockeying for position a bit...

Wescox in his element...Beaming at the crowd...Stepped forward...

"Mona..." he announced...Pausing for the tumult to die down a bit...

Demons never did as much damage to the park and downtown as this crowd, Willow noted...

"Mona...Will break bold, new ground in television history..."

"A tale like an ancient legend, rooted in the contemporary..."

Hmmn...Didn't "Wonder Woman" already cover this ground?...Willow wondered...

"A heroine of the modern world, no one unusual...A woman you might meet in the street..."

Might meet often in the street, at night...Willow whispered to Warren, who grinned, looking at  
Buffy...Who was paying admirable attention to her boss of bosses...Like the dutiful Technical  
Advisor she was...

"But with the courage of the great heroes of history...And...A heart to cover the world..."

Anya had struggled through the crowd to reach them...See Xander over there, she happily and  
proudly pointed him out...  
Among the writing crew...

"Saving Mankind from the forces of darkness...Both without...And within..."

So...she's Monster-Killer and Psychotherapist...? Willow whispered...

"Sounds like your little girl..." she nudged Warren...who nervously grinned back...And turned to  
Buffy...

"At last you get a proper tribute, Buffy..." he whispered...

Even if the guy hasn't a clue...

She grinned back at him...Why, Warren Mears...

Very nice, Dr. Mears...Willow thought, smiling at him...About time you got moving...

***  
The cast safely ferried away...The crowd began to disperse about an hour and a half later...

Allowing for the real work of the day...The extras and supplemental cast interviews...

Buffy stood by, watching...Occasionally helping out with paperwork, directing both Scodos'  
"people" and the local humans hoping for a break to the proper places...Away from each other...

No need to tempt fate...She was rather excited about this thing now...And it would be a shame to  
have it fail over one demon losing his cool in proximity to a quick meal...

But...True to their pledges...Scodos' little company were behaving themselves...Indeed, their  
quiet dignity impressed Wescox's staff favorably...

Especially by comparison to the human candidates...Many of whom were a bit...Unprofessional...

***  
Sunset...

Nearly all had been processed...Most of the human candidates long gone, just a few hopefuls and  
some of Scodos' vamps left...

Name...The secretary looked at the girl facing her...Who'd clearly had to rush to make it...

Pretty enough...Especially after all those folks in make-up...

But what the hell is up with that horrible wig?...

"Harmony Kend..." the girl halted...Ummn...

Oops...Still family around who might catch the show...

"Jones..."

Name...? Ms. Fried frowned at the girl...

Harmony thought fast...As always...

"Harmony Ken-Jones...With a hyphen..."

Scodos, having just arrived, was standing nearby...And sighed...

Still, he had promised her...

He came over...

"One of mine..." he smiled at Ms. Fried...

Fortunately Ms. Fried was all in and only too ready to accept a chance to finish quickly...

Harmony caught sight of the "technical advisor" and her friend...

"Buffy?...Willow?..." she called...

Oh my God...Willow tapped Buffy's arm...

Hey guys...she waved happily at Buffy and Willow...

Buffy rolled her eyes...Willow rolled her eyes...

"Long time no see..." Harmony called happily...

"We should have staked her..." Buffy hissed to Willow...

This is our punishment, obviously...

"Buffy Rebecca told me we should go after her in LA..." Buffy sighed...

We were gonna do it as soon as she and Will got home...

Do it soon, Buf...Willow told her...

Nobody deserves the curse of that wig...  
You know her...? Warren asked...

**  
By early evening all of Scodos' group were approved and signed up using their phony credentials  
without incident...

Scodos entering into conference with a happy Wescox...The pilot shooting would be underway  
within two days and logistical planning was a necessity...

Buffy "technically assisting" the ground crew to put away the temporary casting office and  
equipment...

A content Harmony now a night extra...Even...Possibly...

Just possibly...Girl number three in the first night-time college scene...If Mr. W ruled favorably...

Happily chatting with a reluctant, though sympathetic as always...Willow...

If only we could quietly lure her to some place where we could kill her...she sighed...Smiling at  
Harmony...

"So...

How's LA treatin' you?..." she asked...

By the way, nice wig...

Oh...LA is fine...Very nice variety of people...Ummn...

The wig is my disguise, you know...Harmony noted...

Uh-huh...And a really great one...Willow smiled at her...

Still...Poor kid is trying to spare her family...she sighed...

"Say...Is Buffy a friend of Mr. Wescox's?..." Harmony asked hopefully...

Fraid not...She only met him once...In fact, she actually got her job through your friend, Mr.  
Scodos...Willow smiled back...

Oh...Harmony sighed...Well...

Catch you later...she headed over to towards the main tent...

God...Even Undead she's still the eternal suck-up...Willow thought...

Ummm...Wonder if I should take that "Catch you" literally...?

***

"Excellent job..." Buffy congratulated a shyly beaming Grieg as they emerged from the main tent  
together...

Grieg, like the "technical advisor", not wishing to seem "above" helping in the more mundane  
tasks...

"Tell Scodos his people did very well...The Slayer is satisfied as to things so far..."

So far...she emphasized...But gave the demon choreographer a kind smile...

He joined a now waiting Scodos and Harmony and they headed off...Scodos nodding politely at  
Buffy...

"The Slayer...?" Willow whispered to Warren, as they stood off to one side with Anya, who was  
busy congratulating her Xander...TV's new writer...

Now she's using the third person...? Willow grinned at Warren...

"Wescox's bombast is having a detrimental effect on our Buffy..." she joked...

Harmony turned to wave a reluctant good-bye to her old friends...

"Call me, Willow!..." she called...

Oops...she paused...Forgot...Have to work on the phone thing...I'll get back to you!...she cried...

Hmmn...Willow thought...

Maybe I was a little rough on her...

Should I have invited her to dinner with us?...

Ummn...Best to take it slow...

After old Leto's wooing last month, I don't need to become Harmony's latest eternal galpal  
candidate...

Buffy went over to see Wescox for tomorrow's instructions regarding her charge, Ms.  
Marsden...With clearly rising enthusiasm...

"Why don't you ask "The Slayer" if she'd like to join "The Wiccan", "The Writer", "The Former  
Demon", and "The Cybergenius" for dinner?..." Willow grinned at Warren...

Unless you have the good sense to have a better idea...she thought...And dump the rest of us...

"Don't be too hard on her..." Warren smiled...

"It's nice to see her having a good time..."

Say...He paused...That Harmony seemed very nice...For a vampire...

Though maybe not all that...

Eh, well..Harmony...Tends to be a little on the shallow side...Willow shrugged...Always was...

"First rate killer, though...So...Watch it around her..." she noted...

But she does seem a little lonely...Willow sighed...

We really should have killed her long ago...she told Warren...

Well...She seemed to be making an effort...Warren replied...I mean...For a killer...

But then...Spike is the only vampire I've gotten to know...

"I only met Darla and Drusilla briefly..." he noted...

Mona and the Monsters#1 ...

Series pilot...

"A Fourth for a Bridge..."

Summary: Aided by foolish humans, the fiendish Demontos emerges from Hell into the peaceful  
town of Hellis, CA, bent on world conquest, vengeance against the humans who killed him and  
left him an undead monster, and acquiring a decent place to live...Not necessarily in that order...

Guest cast in order of appearance...

Delivery boy: Lou Greyson

Joey: Moronic magics practitioner :George Sidari

Lidia: His greedy girlfriend: Evelyn Blackwell

Abelard: Famed ancient magician of white magic, summoned by moron Joe...: Michell Wilkins

Nicephorus, a hell demon: Fred Scodos

Non-speaking demons, Imps, Hell chorus, Townspeople: The Scodos Theatrical Company

Cyndy Bess, Hellis real estate agent: Susan Fowlis

Police sergeant: Doug Loew

Policewoman: Mina Harker

Additional townspeople, college, coffee shop and K-mart: Willow Rosenberg, Tara Maclauy,  
Will Wesler, Jonathan Levinson, Warren Mears, Buffy Summers, Jill West, Janice Presler, Bill  
Grier, Michell Wilkins, Job Wescox, Fred Scodos, Bill Grieg, Michael Cheng, Ann Lester,  
Harmony Ken-Jones

Regular cast in order of appearance...

Demontos: Sidney Mechamber

Meng, his chief aide: Michael Cheng

Henry Tugwell, college grad student and student of the paranormal: Mich Bramwell

William Norie, uncle of Mona Medaris: Kurt Webster

Mona Medaris, monster fighter, college student, K-mart shopgirl: Libby Marsden

Ruthie Myers, college student, Mona's best buddy : Sally Kirke

Janey Myers, Ruthie's sister: Susan Cooke

Amanda Wilkens, wealthy businesswoman, later servant of Demontos: Henrietta Lowler

Dr. Freider, college history professor, expert on the paranormal, college advisor to Henry: Mark  
Callis

Ann Medaris, Mona Medaris' mom: Kathy Laner

Moe Medaris, Mona Medaris' dad: Henry Madwell

Moe Medaris, Jr, Mona Medaris' older brother: Charles King

Sheriff Oscar Franke: Michael Henry Farr

Deputy Barney Miller: Hank Calder

Man in coffee shop, table # 4: Job Wescox

Director: Job Wescox

Written by: Felix Larsen, Sukie Willis, Alexander Harris

Produced by Job Wescox

Choreography by Sid Fried and Bill Grieg

Music by Michael Herner, Job Wescox

"Mona and the Monsters" is a Job Wescox production, 2002 all rights reserved...

***

Tara having joined the gang for dinner...They were looking over Xander's script copy at the  
restaurant...

"A Fourth for A Bridge?" Willow asked...

Xander's idea ..Anya noted proudly...

Well...The title anyway...

Warren scanned the script...

"So...The idea is the villain in Hell needs only one more human...A "fourth"...To get out?..." he  
looked at Xander...

Hmmn...Buffy looked at Xander...Who squirmed a bit...

I'd swear I've heard this one before...she grinned...

Only the Master needed me to make his "bridge"...she noted...

Not sure I like seeing this fellow win his way to Earth in the first episode...

"Gotta get him out to begin wreaking havoc, Buf..." Xander replied, a hair apologetic...

It's not like he wins every week...

"Demontos seems very charming..." Willow looked at Xander, as she glanced over the pages...  
Spike will be flattered...she grinned...

Xander waved his hands...Very little input as yet...

Oh...Anya looked at him...Don't be modest, honey...

"See the part about the real estate agent...Demontos fussing as he selects his house?..." she  
pointed out the scene...

All Xander's...she noted proudly...

I thought Demontos seemed to have quite a grounding in carpentry and construction...Willow  
grinned...

It's actually very funny, Xander...Tara noted with a smile...

Wescox is in the pilot?...Warren asked...

Xander shrugged...

"Just for a second at the end, in the coffee shop...

It's sort of a Hitchcock thing..."

Mona and the Monsters...Part XI

***  
Scodos had kindly put in a word with JW, anticipating the Slayer's request, first-rate former  
human resources administrator that he had been...And Willow Rosenberg, tentative new ground crew  
assistant, pending final approval by Wescox, was on her way to the Summers' the next morning...

Though shooting was a few days off yet, Buffy was assigned to "acclimate" her new boss to  
Sunnydale...

To her surprise, Willow found a nervous Buffy up and ready...Pacing a bit actually...

Dawn, the new Slayer Ms. Granger, just returned from picking up her new Watcher, and young  
Leroy Granger her brother, watching Buffy wearing a rut in the kitchen floor...

Dawn winked at her and Basey smiled as Willow came in...

Well...? Willow looked at Basey...How's the new Watcher?...

"Nice..." Basey nodded...Looking a hair ready to pace herself...  
"We were right, weren't we...?" Willow smiled...

Emma Thompson's spitting image, right...?

Very...Basey sighed...

"Don't worry..." Willow grinned...

Giles has had plenty of chances to pick up one of those over the years...

He's looking for something...Someone...Else...

Really...? Basey asked, nervously pleased...But diverted the conversation, remembering her little  
brother...

Ummn...I'm sure Giles and Ms. Walthrop-Hunt will work well together...she hastily noted...

"Like two stiff-upper-lipped British peas in a pod..." Willow teased...

Buffy paused in her pacing to give Willow a slight frown...

Poor Basey was nervous enough...Planning to head out to help her new Watcher find suitable  
lodgings...While said new Watcher would naturally be doing an impromptu evaluation of her  
charge...

Been there...Buffy thought sympathetically, smiling at her colleague...

"Mr. Giles is Basey's feller..." Leroy noted solemnly...And decisively...

Mr. Granger rolled her eyes...Leroy...

"Your sister has him hooked, that's for sure..." Willow grinned at him...Basey squirming a bit,  
but clearly pleased...

"So...When do we pick up Hollywood's finest?..." Willow asked, grinning at Dawn and tickling  
Leroy...

9ish...Buffy noted...Just waiting for them to bring my car...

The "technical advisor" rates a car...Willow nudged Dawn and winked at Basey...

***  
Basey and Leroy headed out to join Ms. Walthrop-Hunt at her motel...

A few minutes later a small old Ford Escort pulled up to the front of the house...  
Willow looked out the living room window...

Ms. Marsden...In the same old outfit as they'd first met her in yesterday, nervously scanning  
house numbers as she checked a sheet...

"Buffy?..." Willow called...

The boss is here...

"Ms. Marsden?..." Buffy had rushed out to greet her new boss...

Followed by Willow and an eager Dawn...Who'd had to miss everything yesterday and no way  
was gonna miss this...

Oh...Gosh...Libby looked at them nervously...

"I make a boo-boo?...I thought it'd be easier if I came over...And I wanted to see if I could find  
my way around..."

No, no...Buffy hastily replied...Perfectly ok...

Geesh...Willow thought...They let her just wander around?...

Where's the squad of protective goons?...Even if Wescox is utterly clueless regarding Sunnydale,  
he can't want to risk his mega-star running about alone...

"Why don't you come in a moment?..." Buffy smiled...Clearly the same thoughts occurring to her  
as she glanced up and down the street...

Fortunately no stalkers lurking...Not even a single photographer...Unless that guy delivering mail  
up the street was not what he seemed...

Just what I'd need...Our star gets snatched...On my watch...

Nice house...Libby looked around...Ummn...

She looked at Buffy as Dawn raced ahead to get the kitchen in a semblance of order...

"Job told me about your parents...I'm sorry..."

Thank you...Buffy replied quietly...

Must be tough...My mom passed away a while ago...Libby noted...

Don't see Dad very often...

And...It's Libby, by the way...Except when Job makes a speech...

"Say..." she paused...Waving a bag...

"I brought bagels...You guys have breakfast yet?"...

Just starting...Dawn called...

"You guys have a seat while I bring it out..."

Buffy and Willow eyed each other...

Dawn?...Getting our breakfasts?...

Libby grinned at them as they took seats in the dining room...

"She doesn't do this everyday, does she?..."

***

So...Libby glanced around the kitchen...Having insisted on coming in to help bring things out...

No guys, eh?...

"I mean...Ummn...No brothers?...And you're not married or anything...?" she looked at Buffy...

Not anything at present...Buffy smiled...

"Not wanting to pry...It's just...I saw the blonde one in the picture on the coffee table..." Libby  
grinned...

With you...she turned to Buffy...In what looked a lot like a wedding dress...?

"My brother-in-law, Will...And my twin sis...Buffy Rebecca..." Buffy noted...

Buffy...Rebecca...?... Libby nodded, curious...

Neat way to do it...But isn't it hard...With the same first name and all...?

"Our Buffies love it..." Willow smiled at Buffy...

They drive us crazy with the twin trick all the time...

"It's probably Buffy Anne in Europe with Will right now..." she teased...

Kinky...Libby grinned back...

But then he is a cutie...she noted...

"Will, huh...?"

"Dr. William Soames Walthrop..." Dawn put in, rather proudly...

Whoa...And a doctor as well as cute?...Libby grinned, nodding...

Cybernetist...Buffy noted...A tad proudly, Willow smiled to hear...

"Your sis did well..." Libby smiled at Buffy...

Yeah...Buffy nodded...A slight sigh...

Libby eyed Willow...

The twins share something else, eh?...

"Spike's partner Warren is going with Buffy..." Willow noted hastily...

We're all one big happy family...

"Spike"...? Libby smiled...

He was into punk rock bigtime in his wilder days...Nickname's a holdover...Buffy noted...

Come on, Will...she frowned at Willow...Warren is... "Going with me"?... she thought...

We're out of high school you know...

And I only wish he'd make that bold a move...

Kinda like to meet this..."Spike"...:Libby grinned...

He into small scale movie and TV divas?...she asked, winking at Dawn...

He and BR will be in Europe for a bit yet...Business and honeymoon trip...Buffy replied...

We got guys though...Dawn noted...

Damn good guys, too...  
There's...Xander, Giles, Buffy's Warren...

My Warren?...Buffy thought...

Well...Why the hell not?...

And...Ben...Dawn added slyly...Buffy frowning...

Lettle too soon for Ben-dreaming, Dawny...

"But..." Dawn frowned...And sighed...

He's in Greece...

"Greece, eh..." Libby smiled...Looking at Willow...

"With his sister...He runs a clinic...She's..." Dawn started to bubble...

A historian...Buffy put in quickly...

A historian and linguist...Expert on Greece and Rome...

"Whoa..." Libby stared at Dawn who nodded...Rather proud in her possession...

Sounds like a mucho intimidating family...

"Lemme get his picture!..." Dawn raced for her room...

Big crush?...Libby smiled...

Oh, yeah...Buffy and Willow nodded, rolling eyes...

But...A very nice guy...Willow noted...

Dawn returned...Bearing Ben's photo...

Hmmn...Buffy frowned...

Didn't know she had one that big...

"Dawn?...When did you...?"

I had the one he gave me blown up...Dawn replied...Avoiding her sis' glare...

"Yikes...Very cute..." Libby stared at Ben...  
"Isn't he?..." Dawn noted proudly...

I pity the poor guys round abouts...Libby grinned...They don't stand a chance...

He hasn't got a twin, has he?...she teased...

Not in this dimension...Dawn smiled...

Course...she noted...We got others as well...

"Lemme get the album!.."

Dawn...Buffy called to her speeding sis...Libby doesn't want to see everyone...

"Yeah!..." Libby called to Dawn...

"Just cut to the unattached ones...If they're all like Will and Ben..." she winked at Willow...

"Sorry bout this..." Buffy sheepishly noted...

Hmmn...Libby eyed her...

Well...Given a choice between an eyeful of Sunnydale scenery...Versus an eyeful of Sunnydale  
hunkery...Libby paused...

***  
So...That's Will and Warren...Dawn pointed...

And Angel...she hastily noted...

Wow...Libby eyed Buffy...

"I can see why you like to keep this place quiet..."

"Let's not forget ole Wes..." Willow grinned...Pointing out a beaming Wesley where he stood by  
Spike and Buffy Rebecca at their wedding reception...

"Your boyfriend?..." Libby beamed at Willow...

Uh, no...See...Willow began...

Mona and the Monsters...Part XII...

Breakfast and a through review of the "hunks of Sunnydale and LA" complete...  
Libby having commented quite favorably on Giles as well...

The technical advisor, pending ground crew assistant, guest...Libby having insisted on Dawn's coming...,  
and "Mona" herself...Set out in Libby's borrowed car to tour Sunnydale.

***

"You know..." Libby grinned as she drove...

Job heard the weirdest things about this town before he came down...

Some psychic guy he knows claimed it was some big evil magnet.

"Sunnydale...?" Willow, sitting next to her, smiled...

Of course we have our darker side...Like any town...Dawn noted solemnly from the rear.

"And you know this "darker side"...How?..." Buffy asked her...

Real estate is cheap here...I'll say that...Libby noted as she turned a corner...

Hard to believe it's California.

"We've been having an economic downturn round here..." Buffy noted.

Scodos rolled his eyes...As he sat in the main chamber of Sunnydale's largest remaining "safe"  
house...

Its safety guaranteed...Within limits...By the Slayers themselves, so long as the peace was  
maintained.

Harmony frowned...

"Why can't I be in on this?...I'm a former Sunnydaler..."

You said I was in.

He sighed...

"Harmony...You are in...You have an extra's part in the pilot, with two nice bits...One as demon,  
one as sweet human college girl..."

It's better than most of the company, he noted.

"But...I don't have any lines...Where are my lines?..."

I mean, once any relatives get over the shock and horror of recognizing me...They're gonna  
wanta know why I didn't get lines.

Uhnnn...

To get you...Lines...Scodos patiently explained...Would mean providing an acting resume,  
credentials, the works...

That would take time...And some doing by our network...

Even then, it would be subject to JW's approval.

"Doesn't seem fair...Just cause I'm the undead..."

Always prejudice getting in my way, she thought...Strangling my career development.

First when I was a member of the blonde race...And everyone was so jealous of me...

Now when I'm a blonde vampire person...And everyone is still so jealous of me.

A glass ceiling, she sighed...Or, a wood one, considering the vamp thing...

Hey...? she paused...

"Does Buffy Summers have lines?...Cause, you know...She is no actress...Didn't even try out for  
the school play..."

Nope...Scodos noted, thankfully...Not a line...She's just the technical advisor...

Oops...Had to mention the title...Damn...

"Well...If the Slayer doesn't rate a..."

Wait...A...Minute...Harmony stopped...

Technical Advisor?...

Buffy Summers?... "Technical Advisor?"...

Ummn...

"Well..." Scodos paused...

"She is a very capable fighting expert, you know..." he smiled, nervously.

And she is a Slayer...For this deal to work, I have to keep her happy...

Harmony darkened...

Buffy...Summers... "Technical Advisor"...

"It's just a sinecure...To give her something to do..." he paused...

Harmony's glare reached Buffy intensity...

Whoa...Didn't think she was capable of one like that, Scodos noted...

"You know..." he dropped to a confidential whisper... "Wescox and I had to come up with  
something for her, poor kid...She was terrible in the scene we tested..."

Really?...Harmony brightened a bit...Then resumed glare...

Terrible, terrible?...Or terrible just to make me feel better, terrible?...she stared at him...

"Terrible, terrible...Really..." Scodos assured her...

"Wescox thought she was cold and really harsh towards her victims...No empathy at all..."

And empathy is Mona's hallmark...he noted solemnly...

Well...That is true...Harmony reflected...

Buffy always was such a cold person...Especially towards our people...

Why, when she killed my entire band of followers...All old classmates of ours, I should point  
out...she noted to Scodos...

"Never even a kind word...A little sympathy...Just whip that stake out and kill, kill, kill..."

"She's a bad influence on Willow Rosenberg..." she went on " ...You know Willow?..." she  
asked, looking at Scodos...

Every underworlder who wants to stay alive knows the Slayers' nearests and dearests, Scodos  
noted...

Only a foppish idiot like Angelis...Or a fool for love like Leto or Spike would ever mess with the  
Slayers' kin...

"Well...Willow was very sweet in high school but since she's hung around with Buffy...I sense a  
certain hardness growing..." Harmony sighed...

Of course, to be fair...In high school I wasn't very appreciative of Willow's qualities...Or  
Xander's...

Kinda thoughtless back then, you know?...

Oh, yeah...Scodos knew...

"But...We've all grown a lot since then..." she reflected...

Look at Cordy...I mean my friend Cordelia Chase...The one who works with Angel now...

Scodos nodded...Once had a eye on that young lady himself, he thought...Very high mate  
potential...Too bad the poor kid went out to LA and missed out on eternal life...

"She was very shallow in high school..." Harmony noted, not meaning to be judgmental, of  
course... "But now she's almost as deep as me..."

"Anyway...The last few times I've seen Willow...She's just been...A little cold...Hard, you  
know?..."

The Slayer business...Scodos noted...

They and their associates have to develop a hard shell to deal with things...Else, one sympathetic-  
seeming vamp...Say like Angelis...And they're toast...

It's a tough job...he nodded sympathetically...And difficult to keep from getting a little jaded...

Hmmn...Yeah, Harmony nodded...

"But...Buffy was really terrible?..." Harmony continued to brighten...

Awful...he shook his head...He felt for the poor kid, really...

But she's just doesn't have...Potential...As their new boss, Mr. W. would have and had, said...

"And you have an excellent chance to show your stuff in two scenes..." Scodos noted...

Just don't be too hard on our "technical advisor"...he smirked...Tone it down...

Poor Buffy...Harmony's mood changed...As quickly as always...

"Well, I saw she has a little extra bit in the pilot..."  
"Just way in back...Part of the downtown crowd scene..." Scodos put in hastily...

But Harmony was now in generous mode...Concerned for her dear friend...Whose calling was  
adversely affecting her nature...Making her hard...On top of losing her parents and all...

This thing might be just what Buffy needed...A creative outlet to draw her out of her hard  
shell...she noted to Scodos...

Scodos blinked at her...

As for her sad lack of talent...she went on...One scene didn't prove she was hopeless...

Maybe she just needed some pointers...

An experienced friend to take an interest...

"After all I was in three school plays...As the lead..." she noted...

"I'm sure the Slayer would appreciate any advice...Just..." Scodos paused...

"Don't get her upset..."

I'll be very subtle...Harmony nodded, solemnly...Just make suggestions, that sort of thing...

Anything to help out an old girlfriend, classmate, and fellow cheerleader...

Anya nervously rechecked the shop counters...All in place...Sale signs rendered unobtrusive...

Hell, a Hollywood megastar can afford to pay full price...

Floors clean except for the bloody spot on the floor...Ooze from a magically-inflicted wound that  
will never heal...

Some stains are just impossible to remove, you know...

Ok...Thanks to the generous early...And I mean early...Morning help of her beloved artisan-  
writer...The Magic Shop was ready to welcome the new star of "Mona and the Monsters..."

She eyed herself in an anti-theft mirror...Wouldn't go so far as to say I was "Hollywood"  
material...

Xander should do that...And did, she noted happily...

Ok...So...Where are they?...  
Buffy said to expect them between eleven and twelve...It's now 11:24...

Well...Calm, cool...Ready to welcome America's soon-to-be hottest new TV star of America's  
soon-to-be hottest new TV show...

We hope...

A show centering on...Magic...

With a certain local magic shop to be prominently featured in the local shots, including the  
opening credits...

She eyed the far left wall of the main shop...Perfect place for "Mona" spin-off products...

Of course, Giles would have to be persuaded...Though he had not said, No...

Had oked the use of the shop in shots for the show...

And in fact had given...Indications...That he might...Just might, mind you...Go along with adding  
a few "Mona"-related items...

So long as the quality part of the business was not adversely affected...

Oh, yeah...Anya could see it now...Magic Shop franchises across the country, featuring the  
unique "Mona" line of tricks and products...

Graced by the occasional guest appearance of the co-owner and her distinguished husband, that  
renowned artisan-writer...

But where the heck were they all for crying out loud?...

Well...Only 11:32 and Buffy did say arrival between 11 and 12...

She wouldn't let us down...Not the Slayer and "Technical Advisor"...

***

"I don't think I've seen this much of Sunnydale in the past six years..." Willow noted to Buffy as  
they strolled down Webster street in the heart of downtown Sunnydale...

Libby had cruised them all over the town...The town museums, excepting Joyce's art  
museum...Which Libby wanted to devote more full attention to in the evening...The historical  
society...The library...City Hall, where Libby had kept a very low profile and spoke a kind of  
pidgin French, fearing recognition...The small craft and art shops of downtown...Tramping over  
several neighborhoods...  
All the while constantly snapping photos...With a large camera...

Partly for the show...To give to Job and keep for her own study... "Getting the feel..."

And partly, she smiled at Dawn...To keep her face and those damn big lips a little better hidden...

Wherever she felt reasonably safe from recognition, she spoke at length to the store or coffee  
shop people...Trying to see if she was getting the place down, Willow realized...Including a  
check of her working knowledge of local issues...Gleaned from several papers and questions to  
her companions...

Who found themselves embarrassed to be so clueless as to what were the current local issues...

Never knew there was a fight to save the park at Oleander and Cross St...Willow noted...

I guess I should know which way the property tax rates are going...Buffy sheepishly thought...  
Bet sis and Will keep track of every fluctuation...

"Say..." Libby looked at them, back in the car and headed for the Magic Shop at last...

"What's the real deal on the Incident at Sunnydale High a few years back?..."

Incident?...With a capital I, Willow noted...Willow and Buffy looked at each other...

What incident?...they asked...

Better still, which one? Dawn thought...

"The one where your last mayor and a bunch of students and faculty were killed...?" Libby  
looked at them...

On Graduation Day...

Ah...Willow nodded...

That Incident...

"We never discuss...That Incident..." Buffy noted solemnly, eyeing Dawn...

Too painful...she noted...

Sorry...Libby hastily replied...I didn't mean to be insensitive...

"A Columbine sort of thing, huh?..."

Dawn and Willow gave slight, solemn nods...

Gee...And parents gone a couple of years later...Libby thought, looking at Dawn and Buffy...

Maybe I should recommend my therapist...

***  
The tall, distinguished-looking customer thumbing through the general books on Demonology  
and the Occult Arts for the clueless thanked Anya for her offer of assistance...

He was quite content to browse a bit, if that was alright...Waiting for someone, actually...

Looks familiar, she thought...English...Maybe some friend of Giles...Maybe a Watcher Council  
type who's dropped by before...

"Giles?..." Anya looked at her partner as he entered...

I thought you were home today...Avoiding any..."Hoopla"...And planning for your new "Master  
Watcher" job...

Just thought I'd look in he replied...

"Ms. Walthrop-Hunt and Ms. Granger are out looking at apartments so..." he paused...

Giles...? Anya looked at him...As he blinked at the customer going through "The Idiot's Guide to  
Demonology"...

He turned to her...Giving her a definite "Follow me...Quietly" look...

She followed him to the rear office...Quietly...

"Giles?...Something wrong...?" she looked at him...

Is he something...Awful?...she paused...

"Sydney Mechamber..." Giles whispered, gasping a little...

That is Sydney Mechamber...

Oh, right...The actor guy...Anya nodded...

The guys must have told him to meet them here...They're due...Now...she noted...

"He must be looking for background stuff...Playing the demonic villain and all..." she  
continued...Looking out to where Mechamber was quietly flipping through  
"Demons!...Demons!...Demons!...The Compleat Guide..."

Giles...? Anya grinned, watching him look at the actor...

Are you...A fan?...

"Ummn...I wouldn't say...Not exactly...A fan, per se..."

I have seen all his films...And been to a number of his stage performances...Giles noted...

"Go over and say hi..." Anya smiled...Pushing at her partner...

He frowned at her...

"Anya, my dear...I am not some starstruck teenage girl..."

Chicken...She replied...Looking away...

"I much prefer rabbit, myself..." he returned...

She frowned...

The shop door jangled...Anya racing to greet the entering megastar and her little entourage...

Giles following at a dignified and sober, if somewhat hurried pace...

"Whoa..." Libby grinned, turning around...Neat place...

"Hey, Sydney..." she waved...

"Welcome..." Anya waved her hands upwards... And curtsied...

"To the Magic Shop..."

Was that a curtsy?...Libby whispered to Willow...

Think so...Willow replied...

Part of the atmosphere she and Giles try to generate...she added hastily...

"Libby...And...?" Mechamber came over, smiling...

"Buffy Summers, Dawn Summers, Willow Rosenberg..." Libby introduced her companions...

"Ladies..." he nodded...

Amazing place, eh?...he smiled at Libby...

"Job has got to get some scenes in here..." he noted...

Place almost makes you believe in the damned things...

Buffy introduced a very nervous...Much to her and Willow's amusement...Giles...And a deeply  
content Anya...

***


	2. Chapter 2

Mona and the Monsters...Part XIII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all otherowner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XIII...

Job Wescox was consulting via phone with his "occult expert"...Who'd called in response to his secretary Angie's request for any information on "The Slayer"...

"Ms. Summers is one of the Chosen Ones, Mr. Wescox..." the psychic intoned... "She holds the forces of evil at bay in Sunnydale..."

Seek her protection...Keep her close...For I sense you face mortal danger...You and all those with you...

"Unless of course you have the good sense to leave that benighted town before it's too late..."

This guy is just too good...JW thought...Chuckling inwardly as he grinned at the phone...

Gotta get him...Or a character based on him...Into the show...

"But...What exactly does a "Slayer" do?..." he asked...

"She destroys the forces of evil, sir...Sets the tormented free and at peace..."

O...K...

"She kills vampires and demons by sticking things into their hearts or in some demons, their heads..." the expert explained dryly...A tad miffed by Wescox's patronizing tone...

Oh...?

Say...Does she use...Say, copper pipe?...

"Wood for vampires, certain types of metal for certain types of demons..."

And...Why would she run around doing this kinda stuff?...Somebody pay her to do this?...

"Mr. Wescox..." he sniffed... "The Slayers are not bound by mercenary concerns..."

"Well...Most of them aren't..." the expert corrected...

Uh-huh...Wescox looked at the phone...

Wish you took a leaf from their book, friend...he thought, remembering the psychic's last bill for consulting services rendered...

No offense meant...Job hastily added...But Ms. Buffy Summers didn't strike me as the especially compassionate type...

"Ms. Summers...And her fellow Slayers...Are the saviors of the world, Mr. Wescox..." the expert insisted... "Her compassion is boundless..."

"Probably you caught her at a busy moment..."

Wescox audibly sighed over the phone...

"Clearly you don't believe me, sir..." the expert told him patiently...

"But I warn you...Keep Ms. Summers near at all times, so long as you stay in Sunnydale...Or great evil will befall you..."

"And I would hate to lose such a valuable customer as you..."

After hanging up, Mr. W pondered carefully...

Yeah, gotta get a character like that on the series...Maybe have our "professor" call him from time to time for help...A disembodied voice giving dire warnings every week, sorta like an occult "Charlie"...

'Course the guy himself is a hoot back in his rooms what with the weird knick-knacks all around, the darkened lights, and that red crushed velvet smoking jacket...Maybe we should show ours in his "Psychic Place" when he calls in...

But as to Ms. Summers...God...What if she takes this "Slayer" nonsense seriously?...

Can't have some wacko working on the show...Could be like 1991 and HBO all over again...When that demented fan talked his way into a job...Writing graphic love/death threat notes to my then star and leaving them in her trailer...

Course it did work out for the best...They'd been happily married for seven years now...

And Summers seems normal enough...

Could this be a put-on?...Maybe she and Freddy Scodos know my "buddy"...

After all he recommended Sunnydale as a source of "mystic evil"...

But they know Mona's part is set...Unless they haven't clued in our occult friend yet...Or she's got some other angle...Maybe hoping to put her name in front for anything that opens up...

On the other hand...Oh, please...

Vampires?...And demons?...C'mon...

Then again, that Krakos guy...He just vanished...

Well...He probably was a mental patient...Maybe my "expert" just left the loony bin himself...Met Ms. Summers there, as a attendant...

Now that would make a little sense...Hmmn...

Maybe met her there as a fellow inmate...

And I sent Summers to take Libby around town today...And Sydney was planning to meet up with them...

"Deranged young woman kills lead actors of new hit series dealing with occult..."

Hmmn...

"Deranged would-be superheroine kills stars of Job Wescox's bold and dynamic new hit series..."

Much better...

Good publicity of course but Libs and Sid are irreplaceable...

Might do well to check on my stars and my new technical advisor, I'd say..

At the I-87 mall where the party, now increased by the addition of the famed Sydney Mechamber, had continued on at Libby's request...Need background for Mona, she works at K-Mart...she'd explained...Mr. Mechamber was giving his costar some tips in "getting" her character's shopgirl persona down...

"Just watch that girl with her friends at the other stations...You know they don't even allow these girls seats..." he noted...

On their feet all day except for break and lunch...So the prevailing air is...Tired, feet killing them, demented customers shouting demands, manager hollering at them to pick up the pace...

"No seats?...That's awful..." Libby stared...

We oughta speak to the management...I'm an honorary member of the California Labor Relations Board, after all...she noted to Willow standing next to her...

The subcommittee on non-skilled and migrant labor...she explained hastily to Willow as she hustled over towards the nearest cashier...

"Ummn...Lib..." Buffy called to her...Seeing her boss zip away...

Mechamber casting a wry grin at Buffy...

Ms. Marsden waved to a free cashier...

"Who's in charge here?..." she asked...

The cashier stared at her...Then back at the cover of People Magazine where she was prominently featured in "Mona" costume...

"Job Wescox's Bold Gamble..." the title proclaimed...

Libby quickly dodged with a smile, seeing the cover...

"My mom says I look just like her...Right, sis?..." she turned to Willow who'd come over with her...

"Whataya think?..." she grinned at the girl...

Buffy raced over to her charge...Sydney wisely choosing to pull back with Dawn...

No need to have both stars recognized at the same time...

"I dunno...You really don't look that much like her..." Willow smiled at her and the cashier...

"What do you think, sis?..." she grinned at Buffy...

Who should I say wants the manager?...the girl asked, picking up her phone...

Nan Mary Glanz...Libby smiled at her...

Call me Nan...

Say it fast...she whispered to Willow...As the girl dialed...

The manager's nonplussed attitude on being called over quickly changed after Libby took him aside...Showing him what Willow took to be id...

She's not gonna tell him who she...? Buffy whispered, looking at Willow who shrugged...

He came back over with her and ushered the three ladies to his office...

Libby?...Buffy hissed...As they followed the eager fellow back...

No problem...she hissed back...

He waved them in, beaming...

"So..." he eyed them... "Libby Marsden wants to study for her role at our little K-Mart..."

Indeed she does...Libby smiled back...

I can't believe it...he sighed...

Neither can I, Buffy thought...Hell, we'll be mobbed as soon as word spreads...

"I'm counting on you to keep our presence here a secret..." Libby beamed at him...

It's vital my character be authentic, you understand...

So...I think it's best to say that I'm a customer who came back to ask about seats for your cashiers...You know, do-gooder type...she smiled...

Ah...The manager nodded wisely...

"By the way..." Libby began...

"Well..." the manager smiled as he left them by the office entrance...

"I'll definitely look into it, Ms. Glanz...We place the highest value on our employees here..." A tad loudly...

"Here's my direct number..." he whispered quickly to Libby... "I mean..." noting Buffy's sudden glare... "If your show needs any interior shots..."

I'll pass it on, thanks...she smiled back...We'll just look around a bit, if that's ok...

He nodded happily and returned to his office...

"Nice guy..." Libby noted...

Probably won't lift a finger though, she sighed...

"I'll write to their main office..."

What?...Libby looked at Buffy...In slight glare mode...Boss, after all...

I really did want to get the feel of the place, she noted...

Mechamber and Dawn met them as they left the store into the main Mall corridor...

"No one spotted you yet, Sydney?..." Libby asked him...

Afraid my attraction for the California mall crowd is low...Mechamber grinned...

"Say...?" Libby called out loudly... "Aren't you Sydney Mechamber, the actor?..."

Libby...Buffy hissed...Willow looked around...Several heads turned their way...

Libby waved back at her...Don't worry...

Mechamber sighed and grinned at her...Libby...

Several Mall patrons came over...She dropped back with Willow, Dawn, and Buffy, leaving the stage to her co-star...Who signed several autographs...

"Just drummin' up a leetle attention for my co-star...and the show..." she apologetically noted...

Buffy sighed...Well...No mob so far...

Don't like seeing Sydney go unrecognized...He deserves it a heck of a lot more than me...she confided to Willow as they watched a small group cluster...

More were coming over...Still more on the adult, middle-aged side as yet, but...A few younger types...

"Lets move on a little..." Buffy hissed to her boss...

Someone is gonna see you...

Libby pulled her hat down a bit and nodding, followed the others...

"Tell Sydney to meet us at the food court when he's through..." Buffy turned to Dawn...

Check...Dawn noted, happy to be on the team...

"Your sis is such a sweetie..." Libby told Buffy, watching Dawn maneuver into the small crowd...Slowly growing...

Is she gonna be on the set with you?...she asked hopefully...

"Dawn needs her rest...And usually I keep her home after nine..." Buffy noted firmly...

Oh...Libby looked a leetle down...

I might let her come once in a while...Buffy went on...Willow eyeing her...

Just for an hour or two in the early evening...

Great...Libby beamed...I can show her all the stuff on the set...

"Say...You know I bet Job could get her in a couple of scenes...Just little things, none of the scary stuff..."

I'll think about it...Buffy replied...A little coolly...

Ummn...Great...Libby looked at Willow who remained noncommital...

They were safely out of range...Buffy turned back to check on Dawn...Who had paused to watch Mechamber at work with the mostly middle-aged and up ladies now clustering by him...

"Buffy doesn't approve of TV people does she?..." Libby grinned at Willow...

Well...She's very protective of Dawny since her mom died...Willow replied...

I understand...Libby smiled...I had a little brother...He died with my mom in a car wreck...Mom always kept him away from the set when I was working, she noted...

"I'm sorry..." Willow looked at her...

I just mean...Libby waved her hands...I really do understand...It must be very tough for her, raising a kid like that...

"Well...Buffy Summers is one tough lady...And she does have her twin sis...Our friend Giles, ummn...her Mom's old boyfriend...and all of us..."

This job is a help for her though...Willow went on...

Not that her sis and brother-in-law wouldn't help out...Just...

"She wants to do it herself..." Libby grinned...

She strikes me as the independent type...

"Say...Does she have a feller?...I know some really cute guys...Who'd do almost anything for me..." she grinned wickedly...

Well...She and Warren...The guy with us at the Sunnydale press opening...? Willow explained...

On the other hand, they're not steady or anything...Warren's a leetle slow at this...

"Excellent..." Libby smiled...

Nothing like a little competition to get a slow guy going...

They'd reached the food court and she looked down the corridor to where Sydney was now a little lost in a moderate crowd...Buffy now by Dawn...

"You and Sydney have worked a lot together...?" Willow asked...

Hmmn-hmmn...Libby nodded...

Sydney taught me everything...Or at least what little...I know about acting...

Ever since we worked together in "Evensong"...she mused a bit...

"This show means a lot to him..." she paused...

He's never gotten the attention he really deserves...He chose the stage and a few independent films over a quick buck in mainstream movies and TV...At least until his wives started catching up with him...and his daughters...

"He's a little hard-pressed these days, I think..." she regarded him...

And he's not well...she noted worriedly...They're always hounding him nowadays, especially the girls...Making him ill...

Though he covers it preety good...

If we're a hit...It'll help him quite a lot...she explained...

Of course...she hastily added...

Mona is a fine part...I didn't take this thing just to help Sydney out...

"I could use a little stability in my life these days too..." she grinned...

And this does seem like a nice town...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XIV...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XIV...

The mall crowd around Sydney having dispersed...He, Buffy, and Dawn moved down to the food court...

Carefully taking a seat some distance away from Willow and Libby.

Libby still fairly well concealed under her hat, there was no sense in giving the Mechamber fans a chance to connect the dots to her.

Buffy and Dawn each noting to themselves that Sydney seemed to be forcing himself to eat...

While Buffy nervously noted her charge trying to catch her eye...Signing for her with fork to mouth motion to make Mechamber finish his lunch.

Stop it, boss...she groused to herself...You're gonna get noticed...And we're gonna get mobbed...

She's sweet...Dawn noted to herself...Concerned for her version of Giles and all, she thought, looking at Sydney...Who clearly was not quite as well as his hearty manner suggested.

She set herself the task of carrying out Buffy's boss' instructions and politely and mildly nagged him to eat.

Libby watching, clearly pleased and settling down...Buffy refrained from shushing her sis...

Fortunately Mr. Mechamber seemed to take it with amusement...

"Have you worked with Libby a lot?..." Dawn asked Sydney.

Yes...Mechamber smiled...I've worked with Libby on several projects...

"She's..." Mechamber smiled wanly, pausing... "A fine talent...A potentially great actress...And more important...A nice girl...A very sweet and nice girl."

Unbelievably so, all things considered he noted...

"Who could use more friends...Near her age...Relatively normal..." he grinned at Dawn.

Lets us out, I'm afraid...Dawn thought...Eyeing her sis...

"Hey...Folks!..." Wescox entered the food court with a couple of staff people...

"How's my Mona...?" he hugged Libby...

Oops...Cover blown...he looked around...

Lovely..Libby sighed...

Several mallers were casting glances...Speaking to each other...

A critical mass rapidly forming.

Gee...Buffy frowned at the far wall...

No need to check up on us...See...Our star is perfectly fine...

Or was until you and your entourage came parading in.

"Job..." Libby frowned at him...

Buffy and I had things well in hand until you showed...

She eyed the swelling group by the food court entrance...All eyeing her back...Murmuring to each other...

Great...So much for a quiet little lunch in a quiet little mall.

Time to go, she noted to Willow...And glanced over to Buffy...

"Go?..." Wescox looked at her...

We just got...

"It's Libby Marsden..." a young woman spoke up in the watching group.

Oh, crap...Job sighed...

Looking sheepishly at the glaring Libby...But a grin on his face as he looked back at the crowd...And then back to his stars...

We're a hit, gang.

Sheepish like a wolf in sheepish clothing, she noted to Willow...

He loves this...

Ten to one the girl in the crowd is his plant.

Well...Giles sighed...Smiling at Anya in the main room of the Box...

When I was eighteen every young man in England who was interesting in acting wanted to be Sydney Mechamber...Though he was still a very young man, he was The Actor...

"Giles...?" Anya grinned...

"You wanted to be an actor?..."

"I also wanted to rule the world through magics when I was that age, Anya...I wouldn't read too much into my various enthusiasms at that age..."

"Well...I don't see why you shouldn't hang with your old hero for a while..." she smiled...

"Take him round to the Sunnydale spots you never take us...He'll be playing a superdemon...He'd probably appreciate the chance to experience the real demon culture."

"I seriously doubt Mr. Mechamber would find touring the hell-holes of Sunnydale rewarding, Anya."

Giles turned back to straightening out a display...

Still...he hesitated...Perhaps I could give a few pointers based on my knowledge...To help make the show more realistic...

"Having Scodos and his followers in a controlled environment is a boon for Buffy and our other Slayers..." he noted...

Exactly...Anya agreed...A benefit for all your Slayers...Master Watcher Giles...she grinned at him...

What can ya do?...A fan-besieged Libby desperately shrugged at Buffy...

The crowd had formed about them as first she, Willow, and Job...Then the others...Tried to slip away...

Reaching an impenetrable mass with speed that even shocked the Slayer...

And left even a rather large residual group to imprison Sydney...

While the "wonderkund of Hollywood", producer of the "boldest new show on television" enjoyed himself immensely...Giving an impromptu speech...Mostly ignored by the thronging fans as Willow, now separated from Libby, noted to a Dawny she'd managed to rescue from trampling...

Not to his credit that he minded at all...The few who did turn to listen briefly were quite enough to keep him going...

Buffy had managed to make her way through to Libby... "Pardon me, Assistant to Ms. Marsden"...Barely restraining herself from making (for only the second time in her career...God why do I have to remember my vamp experience now? she thought...) human kills as several in the mass tried to throw her back. A couple kicking her in the shin...An old lady tearing at her suit...

But the intrepid "Technical Advisor" must do her duty by the boss...

"Hey!...I'm next!..." a deranged-looking fortyish woman waved a book... "Libby!...I'm your greatest fan!..."

How's your pet cat, Thomas?...

"God...How do you deal with this?..." she eyed Libby who was rapid-firing autographs as she slowly herded the crowd toward the exit.

"Warn them if they kill or maim me, I can't sign their kids' T-shirt..." Libby grinned back...

Keep 'em moving...Slowly...To the side exits...she managed to get out...

Don't let them mangle each other...she grinned...

At the edge of the crowd, two short young men solemnly eyed the group...

Fans...Jonathan noted to Andrew, shrugging...

Obsessed with her films...No regard for what's really important...

Andrew nodded...

"Why don't they get a life?..." he shook his head...

As they each removed their shirts to reveal "Acolytes of Mona" T-shirts...

And assumed a kneeling posture worthy of a Mona Acolyte...

Geesch...An aide to Wescox nudged him...And pointed the boys out...

My God...Job grinned...And we haven't shot the pilot yet...

"Copywrite infringement, sir?..." an eager legal aide came over to him, eyeing the still-kneeling "acolytes"...

Eh...Lets leave em be...Job shook his head...

In fact...he pondered...

Call 'em over to me after we get Libs and Sid outta here.

"Hey, Willow..." Jonathan called, seeing her edging over out of the crowd with a somewhat shaken Dawn...

Crowd's enthusiasm a bit much...Even worse than that time all those killers had converged on Sunnydale to take out Faith and Buffy.

"C'mon Giles...You're a natural..." his partner Anya insisted...As they tended to the few customers of the noon time trade...

Who better to advise the show on all local matters occult?...

Xander had informed her that the show's writers had agreed they needed more help on the occult stuff...And that he had naturally suggested the local person known to him as most experienced on the subject...

You know you want to meet Mr. Mechamber...Help Buffy keep an eye on things...she continued...

And think what it would mean for our place here...

"Ok..." Libby turned to her "Technical Advisor" as they and the besieging crowd neared the mall side exits...

"Almost there!...Follow my lead!..." she called to Buffy.

Nice to see she's still with me...Libby thought...Quite a spunky lady...Oh, hey?...

"Where's your sis?..." she nervously called...Firing off a few more autographs...

Got out with Willow earlier!...They're back there!...Buffy shouted, pointing...

"Good!...This group is a leetle wild..." Libby noted, grinning...

"Where's Sydney?..." she looked...

"He's made it to Mr. Wescox's group!..." Buffy pointed...

I think he's safe...she grinned at her boss.

"Unless Job makes another speech!..." Libby grinned back...

"My little granddaughter...Is dying..." A middle-aged lady fought through to her...

Please...Sign these 200 T-shirts for her and her friends...

Hmmn...Libby frowned...But shrugged and signed one...

"Pen's out of ink...Sorry..."

The lady glared viciously...But the mob's front line, hearing, dispensed swift justice and dragged her back into its mass...Never likely to be seen or heard from again.

They were close by the two side exit doors...

"Time we got outta here..." Libby noted...

But I don't want anybody getting hurt trying to get through those doors...she looked at Buffy.

Especially us...Buffy noted.

"We need a diversion..." Libby pondered...

Hmmn...

"HEY!" Buffy shrieked...With full Slayer power...Startling the crowd...

"LOOK OVER THERE!...ISN'T THAT THE SCOOBY-DOO STAR, SARAH GELLAR?"

Seventy percent of the crowd halted and turned...

Focusing on a short blonde woman in dark glasses...Hmmn...It could be her...Some in the crowd looked at each other...Pausing...

The poor girl looked in terror at the staring mass...

Oddly enough...By pure coincidence...It just happened to be...

"Freddy!..." she screamed at a young man in hat and equally dark glasses in a small store nearby.

Oooh...An equally startled but recovering Libby...Mention the competition why don't ya?...she groused, grinning at her assistant.

Run like hell, boss...Buffy hissed.

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XV...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(Remember-Dr. Warren Mears, BR-verse...Good guy)

Part XV...

The various members of the gang having made their escape from the mob...

Now terrorizing poor Ms. Gellar...

And having escaped dear Job and his aides...Wescox having paused to make another speech and to catch up with Ms. Gellar...

He had a guest-staring role in mind...She'd make a wonderful innocent-looking demon Queen...

Dawn now suggested to the packed little car, Sydney now stuffed in as well...W/S Bionetics as the next stop...

Gotta see the place where my bro-in-law and my sis's feller are making cybernetic and medical history...she'd noted...

Ah...Libby noted, grinning at Willow...The Warren guy...

To Buffy's intense embarassment...

Dawn...

Timothy Fields, Warren and Spike's freckled-face, red-haired "special assistant" met them at the main robotics lab's door, beaming...

"Ah...the Misses Summers and Miss Willow..." he smiled... "It's fine it is to be seeing you all again..."

Welcome... he ushered them in...

"Dr. Mears is on his way...Just leaving a meeting..."

Buffy introduced her guests...

"This is Libby Marsden and Sydney Mechamber, Tim...I'm doing some work for them and their new TV show..."

Tim blinked...The Sydney Mechamber?...

Gosh...Willow grinned at Dawn, winking...In Britain, even the robots know an actor like Mr. Mechamber...she thought...

"So..." Wescox eyed Jonathan and Andrew...The first "Acolytes" of Mona...

"You fellas like the show as laid out so far, eh?..."

We have established a spiritual link to her essence...Andrew noted...

And read all the stuff you put on the official Mona web site...Jonathan added...

"Since the show is based here at the Hellmouth"...oops...Jonathan paused...

Here in Sunnydale...er Hellis...he continued...

"We felt it our duty to enlist in her sacred cause...The fight against Evil..."

Buffy and her twin sis not being very willing to let us follow them around...Andrew thought to himself...

Hellmouth?...Wescox thought, grinning at the two short nerds in their Mona T-shirts...Excellent homemade jobs, by the way...

These two are hooked...But good...

Well, they look like tech heads...And the web guy I got is mediocre...And costing me a fortune...

Hmmn...

"Gentlemen...You know the story of Mona is only just getting underway..." Job noted...

And much of her legend and her world needs to be properly described...

By those who understand the spirit of the show...And have a link to her...

"Essence..."

Do you two have any web site experience?...Job eyed them...

The Acolytes looked at each other...

Do we have web experience?...

Can Jedi handle light sabers?...

"So...How would you two like the job of writing and properly posting the Mona legend and canon?..."

Subject to my review, of course...Wescox noted...

"We must have a moment to discuss this..." Jonathan solemnly replied...

It is an awesome responsibility...Andrew chimed in...

They looked at each other...

"At twenty an hour each, forty hour week limit..." Wescox added...

"We accept this heavy burden..." Jonathan nodded...

And will prove ourselves worthy of Mona's trust and faith...

Hell, we'd of hacked into the site and done it anyway...Andrew thought...

Only true Acolytes of Mona should be allowed to tell her legend after all...

Now we even get paid for it?...On a flex schedule?...

Cool...

"So..." Libby whispered to Dawn eyeing Tim as he showed them round the lab, Warren having been delayed a bit longer...

He's a robot?...

Hmm-hmmn...Dawn nodded...Built by a competitor of Will and Warren's...In Scotland...

But re-equipped with much better bionetic systems since he came to them...After his designer-programmer was accidentally killed...

Of course...We try not to mention the robot thing around him too much...

"He's a leetle sensitive about it..."

As is my sis' twin...Dawn did not say...

"Lamb in the oven!..." a beaming Warren happily called over to Buffy and Willow...Not noticing the extra guests as he entered the lab...

Ummn...Lamb?...Libby eyed Dawn...

"I couldn't eat a little lamb...Even if we hadn't just had lunch..." she hissed...

"He's means his artificial womb...He's got a lamb embryo going in one..." Dawn explained to her and to Mechamber who'd come over to them...

Oh...Libby nodded...

Eehew...

"No...It's neat...See...My...Sis...Buffy's twin, Rebecca...she kinda...Has a problem..." Dawn fumbled a bit...

Which Warren and Will are trying to help her with...

Ah...Mechamber nodded...

"My second wife had a problem like that...Uterine cysts...Full hysterectomy...It broke her heart, poor thing...She was never the same after that..."

That's a wonderful thing your brother-in-law and his friend are doing...he nodded...

"You wanta see if Warren'll show us the lamby?...The womb unit's transparent for monitoring..." Dawn asked...

I can wait on that...Libby replied...

And you want to play a doctor someday...Mechamber grinned at her...Clucking...

"Hark...I hear the cannons roar...Is it the kink approaching?..." Harmony quoted...

King, sweetheart...Grieg noted...Patiently...

"Oh...Right...King...Thanks..." she smiled, a bit embarassed...

Grieg having kindly agreed to help...Help his boss, Scodos, that is...With Harmony's request for some rehearsal and vocal practice...

First dress rehearsal and first shooting nights were fast approaching and she still hoped to make an impression...

True, the Mona human sidekick spot was filled...By some little "name" human actress...

But Mona would need other speaking friends...Or even, perhaps...An additional demonic character could be created...

A demon advisor-assistant to Mona...she'd noted to Scodos and Grieg...Who helped her battle evil despite her condemned, dark...And very complex...Nature...

The being on the demon-killing side going a little against her natural inclination...But allowing her to survive throughout the series...

A demon...With a soul...

Oh God!...Scodos had exploded...Head in his hands...

I mean...Oh good...he hastily had explained to Harmony...

After all...she noted to Grieg as they continued their practice and rehearsal...She'd once tried working for Angel...

Briefly...

So...Who better for such a part?...To master the depth and complexity one must needs bring to such a character...

Grieg had to admit...It did have a certain...

Now...If she could just bring this brilliant idea to Mr. Wescox...Or his writers...

Hmmn...

She did know the newest writer on the crew...

An old friend in fact...Whom she'd thankfully avoided harming all this time...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XVI...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series

while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(Remember-Dr. Warren Mears, BR-verse...Good guy)

Part XVI...

Mechamber had been posing a question to the gang in general while they toured the W/S Bionetics company...Warren and Tim happily taking on tour guide duties...

What is it about Sunnydale?...A charming little town by all he could see...That had caused dear old Job to select it for the series site?...

He was honestly curious, he explained to Buffy and Willow as they walked through the bionetics research lab...And as an actor and the future "demon king"...Felt it was useful to know what about the town might cause one to sense a darker side beneath...

Was it perhaps just too nice a place?...A little too safe and orderly?

Were there darker currents lurking?...Hidden prejudices and hatreds?...Perhaps some ethnic or racial or class tensions?

Ummn...Well...They looked at each other...

None that they knew of...

"You're probably right on the nose about it being just too nice a place, Sydney..." Libby noted.

I think Job is going for the Lynchian angle here...

"Well..." he nodded... "Perhaps so...But I actually do get a vague feeling that there's more beneath the surface here..."

He grinned wryly at Buffy, Willow, and Dawn...No offense intended to your home town...he noted.

"Sydney does have a kinda sixth sense about places and people..." Libby noted, smiling at him...

He always knows how to make the best use of a space or a locale...And can read almost anyone like a book...Knows just how to deal with them...she continued.

Actor's instinct...he shrugged with a grin.

"C'mon..." Libby teased him...

Do Buffy...she grinned over at her assistant.

"Let him read you Buffy...Lets see what he comes up with..."

Maybe there's something dark deep down in there...Libby winked at Dawn.

Libby...Mechamber sighed at her...

Poor Ms. Summers doesn't need to be embarrassed...

And everyone has "something dark" deep down in them...We'd have no work worth doing if they didn't, girl.

But the light wins out...Libby eyed him...

Yes...he nodded...The light does win out enough to make the world worth living in.

Especially in ones like you, dear. And these dear ones...he waved to include Buffy, Willow, and Dawn.

He grinned and turned to the others...

"Sorry...This is an old argument...I sometimes get a little cynical about the world..."

And Libby...He smiled at her...

Never allows it.

So...Libby grinned again...

Do one of us anyway...

Dawn was intrigued enough to volunteer...

Mechamber sighed...Well...

He eyed Dawn and seemed to concentrate...Libby beaming...Buffy eyed Willow...Who watched him...

"He does have a powerful aura, Buf..." she whispered quickly...

Maybe some telepathic or other ESP ability.

"I wonder..." she continued in a whisper...Libby focused on Sydney.

Maybe Dawny isn't the best choice for this...

Warren looked at them from where he and Tim had stopped and came back down...Buffy eyeing Dawn and Mechamber hastily explained what was up.

Sydney stared at Dawn...

"You're rather a difficult young lady to get straight..." he smiled at her thoughtfully.

I've never quite sensed such a mix...I'd say though that you're someone with a great deal of buried potential...

He continued looking at her...Wonderingly...

"Sydney?..." Libby looked at him...

"Amazing..." he shook his head...

Ummn...Buffy cut in...Brightly...

You can do me now.

Hmmn...he looked at Buffy, concentration broken.

Thankfully...Thought Willow...

"Ah, certainly..." he smiled...But continued to eye Dawn.

Warren picked up on Buffy's nervousness and resumed his tour, leading Dawn over to some new equipment...

"Guess you're one special girl, Dawn!" Libby smiled over to her.

Little too special...Willow thought...

Interesting about Mr. Mechamber, though...An actor with telepathic and/or empathic ability...

Useful thing in that profession, I'd say.

"Well...?" Libby looked at Sydney...

How's about Buffy?...

"A very strong lady..." he noted... "Strong of soul, heart, and body..."

Who loves a great many people a great deal...Carries many burdens...Well...

And worries much too much...For such a young and sweet woman...he smiled at Buffy.

Who grinned wanly back...

He waved a hand...

"Enough of my little parlor tricks...Lets see what else your amazing young man..." Buffy looked at the ceiling, Willow grinning at her... "And your unfortunately absent brother-in-law have to show us..."

"Over here we've got an example of our latest artificial prosthetics..." Warren noted, still on tour guide duty, to Sydney.

Amazing...Sydney eyed the limbs, as Tim demonstrated their flexibility.

The outer musculature and skin is real living tissue, complete with nervous tissue...Warren explained...Kept alive by a form of synthetic blood.

Of course Tim noted...The real superiority of bionetics to all previous artificial prosthetics and organs lies in the connectivity to the neural net system whether artificial or human...

At least...We hope so...Warren grinned at Tim.

"Our sis uses those..." Dawn noted to Libby...

"Your sis...The other Buffy?...Oh...I'm sorry..." Libby eyed Dawn.

A childhood accident, Dawn explained, eyeing Buffy..Who'd moved up to Warren...

"Buffy Rebecca had to spend years in Europe with Daddy seeking medical help."

But you'd never know the physical difference between her and Buffy Anne now...To look at them.

That's for sure, Willow agreed...Grinning at Dawn.

All thanks to Warren and Spike...er William...Dawn finished, staring at Warren's artificial limbs.

Casting a grin up to Warren where he stood by Buffy...

Wow...Libby looked at her.

So William changed her whole life and married her?...Quite a love story.

Indeed...Dawn noted, smiling.

Willow moved up to Mechamber, Warren, and Buffy...

"That's quite a gift you have, Mr. Mechamber..." she noted.

"Call me Sydney..." he grinned back... "Stroke an ageing man's vanity..."

Just a touch of what my mother used to call "second sight" he smiled.

She turned to Warren...

"Warren, you oughta test him out some time..."

Warren's studying telepathy...Willow explained to Sydney...To improve his neural net system.

"With Willow's help..." Warren noted...

"See there are some gaps in our understanding of how the brain connects to the body...I can't help feeling some of the answer may lie in understanding how telepathy works...If it really exists."

I score real high...Dawn chimed in...As she and Libby caught up to the rest.

Sounds intriguing...Mechamber noted, smiling at Dawn.

"I might take you up on that...I am curious about it. Though..." he grinned at Libby...

"I'd hate to see all the mystery taken out of it..."

Life's never quite so nice as when there's some mystery.

"Spoken like a true king of the demons..." Libby smiled.

"If you'd really like to try..." Willow eyed Sydney... "I could run a test right now...Everything's still set up in lab C, right Warren?"

Well...Warren eyed Buffy...Who gave a hesitant look back.

Ummn...

"Go on, Sydney..." Libby told him... "Lets see if you beat Dawny's score."

Can I try it, too?...she asked.

If you wouldn't mind...? Sydney smiled at Warren...Winking at Buffy.

"Libby won't rest now until we do this..." he shook his head.

"So...?" Xander eyed Giles...

Who ran a close eye over the manuscript...Hmmn...

Following his construction day's work, new assistant writer Alexander Harris had taken his latest contribution to the writing crew's efforts to Sunnydale's leading expert on this script section's subject...

Englishmen...

Demontos, after all...Like Mechamber himself...Was an Englishman.

In his human life...

"Well...At least you avoid making him simper like some nancy boy..." Giles noted...

Normally American TV blares us forth as twitting, repressed idiots or Cockney dolts.

"It's Xander's keen eye for the telling detail..." Anya noted proudly.

Whoa...Dawn noted...

That sure beats me...she eyed the results of Willow's telepathy test on Mechamber.

"Highest score I've ever seen..." Willow nodded...As she helped Buffy remove the headpiece which had been strapped to Sydney's head.

"Were you ever tested before?" she asked him.

Just ESP tests in college...Psychology, that sort of thing...he smiled at her.

"I knew he'd score high..." Libby beamed...

I get messages from him all the time...

The others eyed her...

"She means acting cues...That's all..." Mechamber grinned wryly at her and the others.

"No way, Sydney...These days you don't even have to cue me...I just pick it up...From you."

Hmmn...Willow eyed her...

"There could be a link, you know..." she noted.

Exactly...Libby nodded...

Do me now...she insisted.

Interesting...Willow eyed Buffy and Warren...

TV's "hottest new show"...dealing with the occult no less...stars telepathically linked...

Make a great headline for the Inquirer...Or Weekly World News.

Tour complete and dinner plans set...Warren having invited them all to a certain restaurant on I-87 his absent partner and Buffy's twin highly recommended...Buffy was hesitant about Libby's suggestion...Bring Dawn on with them to see the nearly completed series set?

Of course, it was still daylight...On the other hand...

Have her Dawny meet all those Hollywood types...?

Like Wescox's art director...The little bald guy with the riding crop?...Who bore a strange resemblance to the late Principal Snyder?...And who'd asked her if she'd like to make a video test for him...In the nude...

Or that actress, playing the teen sister...Barely Dawn's age...Ms. Cooke... "Dating" (Libby's euphemism from the evening of the casting call when she and Buffy had passed a rather busy Ms. Cooke in one of the equipment tents) two of the stunt men...Chain-smoking, drinking, and swearing like a sailor...A very experienced sailor...Great.

Or Bramwell?...The actor who played the nerd sidekick...Who refused to come out of his trailer except for the initial press shots...And spent all his time in there in an oxygen chamber...

To preserve his looks eternally.

Or Wescox's secretary...Angie...Who like to wear a fairy godmother costume...All day long...

All those...Creeps and weirdos?...Buffy did not say...

Hell, Dawn could deal with Scodos' little group...But these others...

Ummn...Well...

Dawn frowned, gritting teeth and rolling eyes...

Libby looked at her assistant...Well aware of her reasons for hesitancy...And quick to defend her "family"...

"Buffy...We're no worse here than anywhere else, you know..."

We have our share of nice folks...Very nice folks...as well as jerks and creepos...

Well...Maybe our creepos and jerks get more of the spotlight...she grinned...

And have better lines.

Very sorry about disturbing you, Mr. Giles...Scodos in heavy overcoat and hat apologized to the Master Watcher at the front door of the Magic Box...

"Hey guys!..." Harmony waved to Anya and Xander...Likewise protected against the late afternoon sun.

She was very anxious to see Mr. Harris...Scodos continued...

And I thought it best to have her come here, rather than to his place...

Or meet him in the street...After dark...

Avoiding any possible chance of an unfortunate incident that might cause...Problems...he noted...

For all of us.

Giles nodded.

Wise precaution...he eyed an anxious Harmony...

"Xander!..." Harmony called... "I have a great idea for you...!" Oops...she whanged into Giles' shop door barrier.

Ummn...? Sorry...she looked at Giles...

"May I come in?...I won't hurt anyone, I promise..."

Old...Girlfriend?...Honey?...Anya narrowly eyed her fiancee...Who gagged a bit at the thought.

An...Condemned one, old classmate...Trying to do something positive...Gotta be supportive...he hissed.

O...K...But I'm holding a crossbow on her the whole time...Anya noted in a harsh whisper...Smiling frozenly over to the anxiously waiting Harmony.

Please...Xander replied...

"It's ok with us, Giles..." he told the Watcher.

Hmmn...The new Master Watcher frowned back at them...

The peace agreement is all very well...And it's nice to see some pressure off my Slayers...But nothing was ever said about socializing with these creatures...he thought as he mustered what geniality he could (after grabbing a cross and hunting up a quick protective spell) to welcome Harmony and her vamp superior into the shop.

"So...You're Xander's thousand year old former demon fiancee..." she smiled at Anya...Looking her over carefully.

"And you're the dead cheerleader..." Anya smiled back...

Uh-boy...Scodos eyed Xander and Giles...This wasn't my fault, fellas, his look clearly stating...

She shows a little of her thousand years...Harmony thought.

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XVII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(Remember-Dr. Warren Mears, BR-verse...Good guy)

Part XVII...

Potential...

We have...Potential...Job Wescox noted to Angie, his fifty-something fairy-godmother-costumed secretary as they strode the rapidly-nearing-completion Sunnydale set of television's boldest new show.

Potential...Got...Angie dutifully noted down on her pad.

He machine-gun fired off a series of orders...All dutifully noted down, most to be utterly ignored.

Fortunate Mr. Wescox to have such a "fairy-godmother" as secretary...

"Say..." he paused...

Did you ever get any info on our Ms. Summers?...

Hmmn-hmm...Angie nodded...The wand/pen strapped to her wrist waving as she reached for her sequined bag of files...

Quite a bit, actually...One busy young lady...she noted.

But nothing in the trades or from the agencies...

She handed him the file...

Hmmn...Wescox paused as he leafed through...

High school fire suspect, charges dropped on lack of evidence before she came to Sunnydale...

Involved in several incidences of property damage and injury...Charges not pressed, or dropped on lack of evidence.

Oops...Note...He turned to Angie...

"Review all fire and accident insurance policies asap..."

Already done, JW...she replied.

"That's my girl..." he smiled, returning to the file...

Article submitted for "The Occult Reader" by one of its staff profiling the Slayer and her victories...Apparently suppressed before publication for some unknown reason at the instigation of persons likewise...Unknown.

References to the Slayer (here unnamed), her mission, and several near Apocalyptic incidents in several other occult publications.

Uh-huh...he smiled at Angie...Who shrugged...

Hey...Whatcha gonna do? Crazies gotta have an outlet, she noted...Pulling up the tutu section of her costume.

But...Ms. Summers wasn't involved in the articles personally...Nothing written with her consent.

"Offhand, I'd say the poor kid is the fixation for a bunch of weirdos..." the costumed secretary sighed... "But probably not her fault."

She might as well be in the entertainment business...Considering she's got her own stalkers already...Angie concluded.

Course, Wescox noted...There are these reports of "incidents" involving our Ms. Summers.

Nothing that she was charged with...Angie noted...And she's been pretty quiet the last few years.

Yeah...But I dunno...Job eyed her...Maybe it's not her fault...Just these crazies like you say...But...I smell potential trouble in this kid...

And we do not want "trouble"...Much as I love...Potential.

"Lost both her parents in the last couple years, little sister to take of...C'mon Job..." Angie frowned at him...Wand waving at her wrist as she spoke.

Well...

Fred Scodos does seem to want her on the team pretty badly...

Nice guy, Angie thought...Seems concerned for all his people...Not bad-looking out of that monster make-up, either...

She has been doing a good job looking after Libby...So far...Wescox sighed...

I guess as long as Libby's ok with her.

They did seem to be hitting it off preety well at the mall when I saw 'em at lunch...

"Oh...Say...Did Ms. Gellar's agent call back about that guest spot?...She said she'd have him get back to me when we got her out of that mall crowd..."

Yeah...Angie nodded...Bout twenty minutes ago...She turned it down...

"Something about never wanting to get near that town full of crazy maniacs again."

Pfft...Geesch...Job shook his head...Thought she was a professional.

"Alice Krieg might be available..." Angie noted...

Nah...Wescox frowned...Everyone knows the "Borg Queen"...I want somebody normal and innocent-looking...A young lady you'd never suspect of hiding hideous evil within...

"There's Libby and Sydney...And the Summers kid...Be nice...And supportive, Job..." Angie glared at her boss as she pointed.

He was staring at the group now moving toward them...Libby waving...

Hmmn...He eyed Dawn who staring at everything and everyone, excitedly talking to Libby as Buffy watched her...Grimly...

Ms. Summers' lil kid sister...Very cute kid...Very normal...Extremely innocent-looking...

Hmmn...

Dawn...? Buffy stared at her Boss of bosses...

You want Dawn to guest star on the show?...As a demon...Queen?...

"It wouldn't hafta be guest..."Star"..." Dawn hastily broke in...

I could be satisfied with just...she began...Buffy giving a furious glare...

"I don't think so..." Buffy said...Firmly...

"Now, Summers..." Job put on his most persuasive air...And an arm on Buffy's shoulder...

Which a rather intense glare caused him to remove...

Whoa...Not bad...he noted to himself...

Maybe I should incorporate a little of that in Mona after all.

Anyway...

"It'd be a great experience for her...Especially if she ever considers the possibility of an acting career..."

Yeah...Dawn hastily rushed in...Beaming...

A...What?...Buffy eyed him...And glared again at Dawn.

"Go over with Willow, Dawn..." she insisted...

But...

Now...Buffy insisted...

Uhhh...Dawn muttered vague comments as she trudged off to where Willow stood with Libby and Sydney.

Buffy might at least have let me do my Brando imitation for Mr. Wescox...

I coulda beena contenda...she thought, sadly.

Geesch...Libby turned to Willow, quietly...

We're not all foul-moralled tramps and egomaniacs...

"Speak for yourself, dear..." Sydney grinned at her.

"And so..." Harmony concluded her pitch...With an appropriate dramatic flare...

Having saved Mona and her friends yet again...The pathetic, tragically beautiful demon heroine retires to her lair, alone...Despised by all the world. By all those she has sought to keep safe.

She couldn't help it...The image was just too...Like her...

She teared a bit...Taking a delicate sip at the bag of artificial blood Xander had thoughtfully provided from a stash of Warren's synthetic stock in the shop.

Hmmn...Xander eyed Anya...Giles...

Scodos...Who gave a very faint, but clearly sympathetic shrug...

Well...Harm...Xander began...

"It's an excellent concept...But..."

Mona is the heroine of the show, you know.

"Oh certainly..." Harmony nodded... "This is just a kinda side story...You know...Like Spike...er William and his redemption with his Buffy..."

Takes a little of the pressure off Mona to always be on center stage...she explained.

Plus a truly tragic story arc...Sure to keep audiences enthralled when the camera is off the doings of Mona and her gang.

And it's sure to pull in the underworld audience...Bigger ratings, and we do consume our share of household products...she noted...Hopefully...

Well...

"She has a point..." Anya noted...

Demon and vampiral buying power can be substantial in some places...And there is little direct appeal to the market...Outside of places like the Box here.

Hmmn...Xander frowned...Thanks, hon...

"Well...We do have a demon Queen story coming up..."he noted...

Demon...Queen?...Harmony came to attention...

"But it's just a brief thing, probably a one-shot deal...And Mr. Wescox was looking for a name actress to guest star..."

Besides...It's not really what your idea covered...Xander added hastily as Harmony's face fell a bit.

Oh...she nodded...

Well...I understand...she smiled at him sadly...

My God...Xander blinked at her...

She has grown...

Unlife really does become her...he thought.

Ummn...he paused...

You know, Harm...he eyed her...Looking over to Anya, who nodded...

Supportive mode approved...

"It's really not a bad idea at all...If you'd like...I'll run it by the crew and maybe Mr. Wescox tomorrow..."

Really?...Harmony beamed...

He eyed Giles, shrugging...Whatdaya want me to do?...Stake the poor kid right now?

"Oh, Xander...Thank you so much..." she smiled...Moving as if for a hug...

Ummn...Anya went to blocking position, crossbow firmly aimed at Harmony's heart.

Oh...Right...Harmony backed off...

Sorry...she bit her lip a bit...Discretely sucking down the blood...

"No offense intended..." she explained.

Just wanted Xander to know I'm really...Really grateful...

"That's ok..." Anya nodded...

Just be really, really grateful from a safe distance...

Ummn...Right...Harmony nodded...

"Well..." Scodos brought their pleasant get-together to a close...

"It's getting on toward sunset and we should be off, Harmony..."

O...K...she sighed...

"You'll let me know how things go?...Right, Xander?..." she called as she moved to the door with Scodos...Who nodded pleasantly to Giles...Asking him to remember them to the Slayers...

With the utmost respect of course...

Giles nodding...As Xander assured Harmony that he would pass word on via the vamp network asap...

Willow is right...Giles thought...

This Scodos bears close observation...He's a little too clever for my taste.

"Well...Bye..." Harmony smiled...

"And Xander?...If you ever do decide to go the eternal life route..."

Anya raised her crossbow...Grimly...

Ummn...Bye...Harmony waved quickly...And hastily scurried out the door, followed by Scodos.

Gee...Xander is so nice...Harmony noted to Scodos...As they strolled back to their safe house.

I was such a fool back then in high school...she sighed.

It may be hard to believe but I was rather a shallow person then...she explained...

Didn't give guys like Alexander the time of day...

Unbelievable...Scodos nodded...Rolling his eyes as he looked off...

For signs of any trouble among rebellious underworlders, he hastily explained to her.

Can't let our new agreement suffer any danger of being broken.

Hmm-hmmn...Harmony nodded...And paused...

Oh!...Gee...I forgot to tell Xander...I meant to ask him to have Buffy come and see me the first night of shooting...

On the set...she continued...Nowhere isolated or secret...

Scodos stared at her...Meet the Slayer?...

"Acting lessons..." Harmony explained.

"Buffy just needs a few lessons...She really has great potential...And I have loads of experience..."

Three lead roles in high school productions...And I once did a commercial...For my uncle's production company...

Well...I was in the commercial...she noted...For a second or two...

But still...I'm sure I could bring out the real Buffy...The girl I knew back in high school.

Who knows...Maybe she could play the human sister of the tragic demon who helps Mona...

First Grieg...Scodos thought...Then all the guys and girls fighting to get spots...Now even...

Harmony...

All I wanted was to take the pressure off us for a while...And earn a little cash on the side...

Who'd of thought the underworld was so full of would-be actors?

But then...We do tend to pose a lot when we deal with the Slayer...Even with some pathetic human victim, most of us can't repress that urge for a speech before the kill.

"Couldn't we just run back for a minute?...I won't ask to go in..." Harmony pleaded...

And Buffy will be so grateful, I'm sure...she noted.

Why not?...Scodos waved his hands...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XVIII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XVIII...

After trying several possible approaches, Job Wescox...Boldest new producer in television...Hit upon one that led him to a triumph that the legions of Sunnydale's Undead had tried in vain to achieve for years...

"It'd be a nice piece of change for her college fund, Summers..." he noted...Still pushing to get Dawn on a episode or possibly two...Definitely no more than three...As his innocent-appearing Demon Queen...Ally to his arch-villain, the regular character Demontos...

Her innocent, sweet young teen's appearance masking her hideously evil nature and her incredible mastery of the Dark Power latent in the little town of Hellis...

College fund...? Buffy paused...Looking over to where Dawn stood by Willow and Libby...A resigned but mournful expression on her innocent, sweet face...

Not a huge part...Wescox continued...Not requiring very long hours...But...Key...

Key?...Buffy eyed him...Nervously looking back at Dawn...

Definitely...Job nodded...Crucial to the series' plot for the first season...

Oh...That kind of key...Yeah...Buffy looked back again...To a newly hopeful Dawn who now saw faint glimmerings of hope...

Hmmn...Buffy thought...

College fund...

Not that William and Buffy Rebecca wouldn't do anything required to help Dawny go wherever...Still to be able to do it on her own...Well, with Dawny's help...

Nothing...Suggesting even a hint of sexual involvement between the young Queen and her ally...Creepy?...Buffy hesitantly asked...

Not a hint...Wescox solemnly nodded...

Avoiding any mention of the Queen's outfit...Plenty of time to discuss the skintight flaming red and black suit to be worn whenever the Queen appeared in her true form later...

The Slayer backed down...

Maybe...She'd think about it...

We could just test her in a scene or two...Wescox smiled...

"Ummn...No long hours?..."

Would I overwork a young child?...Job was offended...

Besides the union would kill me...

Well...Buffy hesitated...

Maybe just a test...

Bingo...Between our demon teen Queen and our dear Susie Cooke as Mona's teen sidekick, we'll have those 13-16 year olds...Not to mention those weird 40-60 year olds...Female as well as male...Drooling...Thought Job happily...Retaining his solemn expression of reassurance...

Buffy off to inform a radiantly happy Dawn of her "test"...To be done within the next hour if possible...Wescox naturally anxious to nail things down quickly...

The Master Acolytes of the Monaverse approached the Creator with appropriate reverence and caution...

"What's up fellas..." Wescox eyed Jonathan and Andrew, webmasters extraordinare...

Great job by the way on the new site page...It's a dandy...

They nodded, accepting his Eminence's proffered thanks...However...

"There's a little problem..." Jonathan noted...

We've had someone getting into the site...A rather skillful hacker...

Trying to anyway...Since we upgraded the encryption software, Andrew noted proudly...

And now...This guy...Whoever he or she is...Is trying to launch attacks on the site...Jonathan explained...

Though we've blocked him...It is delaying the effort...

Plus he's been sending some preety nasty stuff to the official Mona board...

Really...Wescox beamed...Pilot's not even shot yet and we have crazies lining up...

Hmmn...I must consider how this dreadful threat to our beloved Monaverse is to be handled...he thanks his webmasters...Who nod and solemnly withdraw...Pleased to hear that the heretic will be dealt with by the Creator himself...

Well...How best to milk this little creep's gift of...That magic word...Potential...publicity...

Perhaps a solemn speech before the ET cameras after rehearsals tomorrow when they do their piece...Job ponders...

Begging our little friend to cease and desist...Calling on Mona fans with computer skills to defend our dear Monaverse...

After all...Nothing like a little controversy amongst the fans...

And there is no bad publicity...

Next day...Cast and crew assembled, set ready...Following the expected hour long kick-off speech by Mr. W... Rehearsals began in earnest for the series pilot...

Dawn safely and ecstatically at home, yesterday's "test" a triumphant...Well, Mr. Wescox had said it was fine...Carefully reviewing her lines as Demon Queen...To begin her TV career in a week or so...

Buffy finding herself far busier than she'd expected...And a little overwhelmed...

When not helping Ms. Marsden get her scripts, figure out the props she'd need to use, and try to get into her Mona special operations assault suit...Kind of a take-off on Mrs. Peel's "dressed to kill" suit from the old "Avengers" series...She ran to and fro on various errands for Mr. W or Angie or anyone else who needed her...Which had become practically everybody within a couple of hours...

"Bill" Grieg, Scodos's daylight-capable demon sidekick and new assistant choreographer to the series requested her loan from Ms. Marsden to assist in demonstrating the finer points of a couple of scenes he'd worked out to the human cast. Which she did with style and quite proudly, as Willow, briefly ground crew gopher on the set...and gladly promoted by Wescox to be her own assistant gopher within one hectic hour... Noted with a smile.

As the lunch hour approached...A sacred time, Mechamber wryly noted to Willow and Buffy as they paused to assist him with some demon weapon props...A rather vague-looking, once handsome man in a loose and ill-kempt dark suit appeared, shuffling around the tents...Arguing with a security guard who tried to politely demand proper id.

Libby beside Buffy catching sight of him paused...Turning nervously to see if anyone else...

Mechamber eyed her...and shook his head at her.

Sydney...Her look pleaded...

But Wescox and some others had likewise seen the man...

"It's my dad..." Libby told Buffy in a small voice.

Wescox frowned...Moving over to the man and his security guard

And ignoring the man, turned to the guard...

"That man is not supposed to be here...He is never supposed to be here...Understand?..."

Right, boss...

"Job?..." Libby looked at him...Pleading look in her eyes...

"Libby..." Wescox sighed...

"Can't I just see him a few minutes?..." she begged...

He must have a reason for coming...

"He is my father..." she turned to Buffy...On the verge of tears...

"Shouldn't I see him?..."

What would you do if it was your father?...Libby asked her...

Ummn...Buffy looked at her...the frowning Wescox...Mechamber...

Willow uncertainly eyeing her back...Kinda out of my field of experience, Buf...My dad doesn't get blasted and aimlessly wander TV filming sets as a rule...

Well...

Five minutes, Wescox looked at Libby who nodded gratefully...

And not alone...

"Buffy can stay with me..." she turned to Buffy...

You'll stay, right?...she asked her...

Sure...Ummn...Buffy looked at the others...

If it's ok...

JW nodded, still frowning..

At least with Ms. Summers here, he's not likely to pull anything...he thought...

Without winding up in the hospital...Judging by the way she handled those stunts with Grieg...

Gotta read up on this "Slayer" thing...Get anything you can on it...he quietly noted to Angie...

Libby smiled at Buffy, grateful...And led the way to her tent...Which the seedy man entered with a touch of lost bravado...

Mike Marsden...Legendary rock star vocalist and leader of Mars Den...

A little seedy now at fifty-nine, but still retaining a certain...Well, actually not retaining anything, Buffy quickly realized...

Seemed lucky to remember his daughter's name and maybe, hopefully...where he'd left his car...

Buffy could see that Libby was on edge and avoided let him get close...

"Dad.." she looked at him...

How's it breaking?...

"Good, good..." he looked at her...

They wouldn't let me in to see you, honey...he groused...

"You shouldn't be here, dad..." she told him quietly...

You know the rules...

"Don't want me here...I go..." Marsden mumbled, a trace of anger building in his voice...

"It's ok..." she told him...

Meet my friend, Buffy Summers...She's working with us this summer...

He nodded, barely noticing her...

"I haven't been...I'm fine you know..." he told Libby, who nodded...

That's good, dad...she told him...

"I just wanted to see you...That's all..." he went on...

"You gotta call first, dad...But it's ok..."

She turned to Buffy...

Ever hear Dad's music?...she asked...

Buffy nodded...Hard to avoid it at times...Still played everywhere, on the radio a half-dozen times a day on most stations...

He now noticed Buffy...A fan...And a nice-looking one...

"We got a few good ones out in our day..." he noted...

Great ones, dad...Libby smiled...

He left a little later...Having forgotten to ask if he'd had anything to ask for when he came...

"Dad's not on anything..." Libby told Buffy hastily...

You could see that...His eyes were fine...

It's just...He did so much stuff in his time...

"He seemed just fine..." Buffy told her...

He's not supposed to visit me...He knows that...But sometimes he just wants to see me...Libby twisted her fingers into a knotted ball...

Besides...I want to know he's ok...

He is my father...she looked at Buffy.

Willow occupied with the paperwork required by the dutiful Angie...In full costume as befitting the first day of real work...Of a new hire...Buffy headed into the cafeteria. after Libby went to lunch with JW and her own business staff...

Libby Marsden, Inc...Libby had noted ruefully as she headed out with her guard...Needs a business meeting...

Keep an eye on Sydney, will you?...she called to Buffy...

Make sure he eats lunch?...He hasn't been eating well lately...

"See ya..." she waved...Frowning at the group waiting for her...

Mechamber sat alone...Reviewing a script...And waved Buffy over as he caught sight of her moving towards him...

A script girl frowned...

New Girl is making time with our distinguished thespian...

"Miss Summers..." Mechamber offered a seat...Smiling at several watching them...

You realize your reputation is now utterly ruined...he grinned at her.

"I'll deal..." she grinned back...Taking the seat...

"So..." he grinned...

"Libby assigned you the job of keeping an eye on me?..."

She told me to make sure you ate something...Buffy nodded, smiling...

She worries over me like a daughter, sweet thing...he noted...

"Better than one of my daughters, actually..." he smiled...

But...He pointed at his plate...You can testify to the fact that I did eat...

Mechamber looked at Buffy intently...

"So...You've met our dear Michael..."

She nodded...

"He's not exactly popular around here, is he?..." she asked...Hesitantly...

"Libby's had a rough time with that fellow..." he noted...

A wasted rock star is not always the best of fathers.

Buffy looked at him...

"Even JW seemed concerned about him being around...Is he that bad?..."

"Libby..." he paused... "Was as pretty a little girl as she is a beautiful young woman..."

Mechamber stared at a wall of the tent.

Then fixedly at Buffy...

Oh...Whoa...Buffy thought...Oh my God...

Gross...

Pity Sis isn't here...She's the family's therapist-in-training...

"And she wants to see him?..." she asked.

Not jailed for life?...Or at least rendered harmless...Surgically...she thought.

He tells her it was the drugs and booze...Mechamber explained quietly, looking away...That it was just when he was at the edge...Occasionally remembers to throw in that he has to have her forgiveness...And she believes him...Wants to, anyway...

"But how can she even...?"

Because our dear Libby is the sweetest and most compassionate person it's ever been my fortune to run across in this miserable existence...Mechamber noted.

"It's actually quite a boon for me..." he continued...Seeing that father of hers...

Reminds me to pull back from the edge when I start to let it all get to me...And remember I'm past fifty myself...

With two daughters who if they hate me...For quite legitimate reasons...Thank God have far less right to than our poor Libby...

But working as a co-star of what may be the "hottest" new show on TV...Buffy grinned at him...

God help me, Mechamber grinned back...I actually do get a buzz from that...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XIX...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XIX...

A rather sheepish Libby returned from her "working lunch" with Job...Her legal/financial staff dispatched to their various offices...

Buffy found her in mid-apology to Wescox outside his trailer office ...Who was shaking his head at her...

"We really screwed him today..." Libby explained...

Financially I mean...she waved her hands nervously...

"I'm sorry Job...You know I just follow their advice..."

Libby...Job sighed, smiling at Buffy...You've got to get a thicker skin for this sort of thing...Or maybe just let your people meet with mine...

"It's just business...And it's the network your people raked over the coals...Not me..."

At that you made them knock off a quarter of what they were ready to ask for...

"I just thought they were asking for an awful lot..." she noted to Buffy...

"I mean...The show hasn't even got off the ground yet..."

I didn't want them to get too crazy...Sometimes they seem like an awful greedy bunch...

"Sides...I do preety well if the show's a hit...And not bad at all if it's not..." she grinned...

And it seemed like there wasn't gonna be anything left for Sydney and the rest of the guys...

"They will make out fine, Libby...Especially Sydney...Your people are looking out for him quite well..." Wescox smiled...

He hasn't got quite the team I do...Libby explained to Buffy...Mom pulled quite a bunch together for me before she was killed...

She was worried Dad might try to get his hands on it and blow it all...

"Hey, Sydney..." Libby waved to Mechamber as he entered...With his own lawyer in tow...

"Things go well...?" he eyed Wescox...

For you two?...Job grinned...Gangbusters...

For poor ole JW...Not so bad...

For our beloved network...

Well...They'll clean up when we catch fire... "Mona" will put the Sci-Fi channel into the stratosphere...

"Libby...You are a sweet and dear thing..." Mechamber sighed, eyeing his co-star...

But you're putting poor George here out of a job...he grinned at his lawyer...

Who looked distinctly nervous Buffy noticed...

"Well..." Sydney smiled at Job...

Our turn...At least to give me a chance to look over whatever Libby's gone and done for me...

"Ladies...If you will allow me...Georgie here and I must have our chance to draw blood from our stone-hearted employer..."

Job waved them into his set office...

As they waited for the crew to set up...Buffy eyed Libby...Who grinned back...

Yeah...?

"Didn't you guys work all this out before...?"

"You mean in the past six months of teeth-pulling negotiations...?...Yeah..."

But that was before the show became a real thing...And now the day before shooting starts...

We pounce...Libby fake-snarled as Willow came up...Lugging some props...

"Wait until the first ratings and reviews are in and we're a hit...Then all of this will start all over again..." she sighed...

I hate it...But, thank God Joby never takes it personal...Or pretends to...I can tell you some stories...she waved a hand...

Producers with their little kids in tow...Sobbing in my trailer...

Always end up crying with them, I'm afraid...Until my gang shows me the money's going into sobbing Stan's new vacation mansion...

I guess I'm lucky to have my little band of protectors at that...she grinned at Buffy...Else I'd probably be working for minimum wage...

"What's up...?" Willow eyed them...

Teaching our Buffy the ins-and-outs of the star biz...Libby nodded...

"Actually, Buffy..." Libby turned back to her... "You should let my people deal for Dawn...They'll get her a very good deal...And I'll see they take their fees out of my stuff..."

Ummn...Buffy eyed her boss...Well...

"Buf...She's got the best legal team in Hollywood..." Willow noted...

They looked at her...

Well... "People" said so...Willow explained...

Mom did her homework...Libby nodded...

"No...no!..." Scodos' thespian comrade...Jerome by name...Glared at the quartet of howling demons...

Having volunteered to take on the job of assisting Assistant Choreographer Grieg in prepping the demon cast for tonight's first dress rehearsal...

In addition to his duties as Scodos' personal assistant and Demon # 3...

"We need menace here!...You are not menacing..."

Hell...Jacob, one of the four eyed him...With two of his four eyes...

That one always scares the woollies out of my prey...One lady I was chasing once...Dropped stone dead from fright...

"Gentlemen..." Jerome eyed the group...Whoops, didn't notice the female...Hard to distinguish them in this particular breed...

And Lady...

"This is not to frighten some poor old lady walking down the street...Any mugger can do that..."

This is to bring real, genuine terror to an American...Heck, a world...Television audience jaded by years of phony effects and slasher movies...

"Well...Lets rip "Mona" apart in front of the TV cameras..." one of the demons noted...

That'd bring real, genuine terror...he chuckled...

Jerome blinked...God...The sort one must make do with these days...

Grieg, just back from a brief meeting with Scodos, glared at the demon...

Ummn...Kidding, Grieg...he nervously eyed the Assistant Choreographer...

"You're out of here..." Grieg coldly replied...

And so is anyone else who makes a stupid joke like that...he looked at each of the others...

"Do you know what the Slayers would do if they heard talk like that?...Hell, the boss..." he indicated Scodos, off talking with several other members of the demon "cast"... "Would stake you himself..."

You see what I have to work with?...Jerome sighed to Grieg as the fired demon sheepishly and sadly trudged away...

"Ok..." Anya eyed Dawn steadily...As they stood in the Summers' living room...Xander and Warren watching from the couch...Basey and Amelia Walthrop-Hunt with Basey's brother Leroy from chairs...

Who better to give her both Demon Queen instruction?...And in how to act demon pretending to be human?...

Besides...Poor kid had to miss seeing tonight's dress rehearsal...On Slayer sis' orders...

"You're Queen of the Demons...Numero uno...You eat Borg Queens for breakfast..."

Gotcha...Dawn glared at the living room mirror, narrowing her eyes...Think Buffy in kill mode...she thought...

Not bad...Xander thought...And probably the way Buffy will look when she sees the costume of the Demon Queen...he sighed to himself...

Looks just like Buffy when she was ready to kill me back last April...Warren noted to himself...

"Look meaner, Dawn!..." Leroy insisted...

Think Buffy when she found out about Connor...Dawn thought...

"Did your friends check her out throughly after the fight with Glorificus?..." Ms. Walthrop-Hunt hissed to Basey...Staring at a furiously glaring Dawn...

Meaner!...Leroy hollered...

Hmmn...

Buffy when I asked her if she wasn't the teeny-weeniest bit jealous of Buffy Rebecca...Dawn noted to herself...

Oh yeah...she looked at their faces...Even Leroy backing away...

That's the one...

We really should begin tests on her at once...Amelia whispered to her charge...For the sake of the world...

Hmmn...Basey eyed the now rather terrifying Dawn...

Maybe not such a bad idea...

But...Anya continued...You're hiding your hideous nature...As a sweet and lovable teenaged girl...Trusted by all...Even Mona the Monster Killer herself...

Hmmn...Dawn pondered...Ahh...

Think...All the times I gave Mom or Buffy a line and slipped out with Janice or somebody else...

And how I'm gonna get away with slipping over to the rehearsal tonight...

A sweet and innocent smile...But something going on behind the eyes there...

"Very good..." Anya smiled...

She has real potential...she noted to Xander...If she should ever consider the vengeance business...

Potential...That magic word...Xander thought...Having picked up a little from Wescox in the last few intensive writers' huddles before first rehearsal night...

A Demon Queen is born...For three episodes, anyway...

"Hope you guys don't mind watching Dawn and Leroy..." Xander noted to Ms. Walthrop-Hunt and Basey as he, Anya, and Warren prepared to head over to first dress rehearsal night...

"Not at all..." Amelia smiled at him...

After that performance I'd insist on it...she thought...

Though I suppose it will have to be just observation until Buffy approves a full battery of tests...

Kinda glad Rupert's coming over...Basey thought, eyeing Dawn...Aside from my normal appreciation of his company...

"Can you do that face at dinner?..." Leroy asked a beaming Dawn...The soon-to-be guest star having received her accolades...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XX...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XX...

The Master Acolytes of the Monaverse eyed each other across their respective laptops...

Once again their fiendish nemesis had defeated their best efforts...And committed another foul act of desecration...

Well?...Acolyte Andrew asked Chief Acolyte Jonathan...

"Only one person I know of could combine such lame posts with such hacker skill..." the Chief Acolyte replied...

Leroy Daine?...Andrew looked at his partner...

Daine the Paine...Jonathan nodded...

Note the way he got Mona to stick her finger up her nose...He indicated the image of Mona on their site...A Madonna-like Libby, slowly appearing, peering through the mists of evil surrounding an evil- besieged world...Now somewhat marred by their enemy's efforts...

Trademark Paine...

"Not to mention the posts he left... "YOU GUYS MUST ALL BE GAY!..." at the end of each...?...He always ends his that way..." Jonathan noted...

Great visual imagination, fine hacker skill, utterly banal with words...

Leroy Daine all right...Andrew nodded...

"But what's he got against Mona?..."

"Didn't you see his first post...?" Jonathan clicked up the message...

A link to a forty page, meandering memo on the nature of the Monaverse...

"He expected Mr. Wescox to make this crap the Mona canon...?" Andrew stared at the screen...

Six pages alone on how to define the class of demon monster by the color of their spilled guts...?

"With an ultimatum to fan-fiction writers...If any should raise their heads over time..." Jonathan scrolled to the end of the memo...

Those who deviate from his canon are to be killfiled...And he is to be sent their e-mail addresses at the end of each month...Or else...

Signed...Jonathan rolled his eyes...

"The Phantom of the Monaverse..."

But...Andrew looked at Jonathan...His email address here has his name included...Even if he ran it together in all small letters...

leroydaine...

"Like I said..." Jonathan shook his head...

Mucho hacker skill...Lame poster...

"Well...?" Andrew paused...What do we do...?

Mr. W didn't seem too worried...

"Andrew...He left it in our hands..." Jonathan solemnly noted...

The fate of the Monaverse is at stake unless we stop this madman...

"Can't we just send him an email threatening legal action?..."

Turn to outsiders...? Suits no less?...Jonathan glared...Our reputations would be in shreds...

"Besides...Mr. W wants to avoid lawsuits and counter lawsuits..."

So...?

So...We utilize all our skills, gird ourselves for the task at hand...he paused...

And get help...

Help?...

"I mean from one of our own...At least he was...Once..." Jonathan sighed...

Before he made it big in robotics...And was no longer able to stay within the confines of our little pond...

"Oh...Your pal...Mears?"

I remember him from high school...Andrew nodded...

The ultimate geek...

In the proudest possible sense...

And now...A multimillionaire, thanks to his bionetic limbs...Jonathan noted...

Partners with Buffy's twin sister's husband...The mysterious Dr. Walthrop...

"Better known as Spike..." Andrew nodded... "To those of us privileged to be in the know..."

And smart enough not to say anything that would prompt a visit from him or his wife or his sis-in-law...

"Word around town...At least from Willie's bar...Is that he's been redeemed by his Missus..." Jonathan eyed Andrew...

I thought it was that big dark guy...Angel?...Who was the redeemed one...Andrew thought...

But...Back to Warren...

In his day...Jonathan continued...Before selling out to fame and fortune...

He was a champion of encryption technology and code...

"I thought he wasn't good with PCs..." Andrew noted...Just robots...

Which is why he had to develop his own superior encryption system...Jonathan nodded...The trolls were tearing his sites apart...

Just the man we need to help protect our Mona site...And as best friend of Buffy's brother-in-law...An interest in seeing the site succeed...

Plus...Rumor has it he is Buffy's current squeeze...

Warren...Mears?...Andrew choked...And Buffy...?

Oh...he shook his head...That's just not right...

However much an inspiration to geeks the world over...

D-day...Or rather, D-night...

Full scale dress rehearsal...

Jerome the former thespian had prepared a little speech...In honor of the occasion, a great day for the Scodos Theatrical Company...And to honor his idol, the distinguished Sydney Mechamber...

Sure to be the greatest of screen villains, he noted...Combining pathos and menace well beyond even the past great villains of stage and screen...

Winning a rather pleasant beam from their distinguished star, Libby Marsden, as she stood watching in Mona fighting costume...

And of course, honoring their dear Mona...Jerome continued...Sure to win the hearts of America and the world...

Jerome was very excited about tonight...Grieg whispered apologetically to Willow as he stood beside her...Buffy having taken a good viewing position between Libby and the Scodos "players"...

Scodos by her side, at her request...To avoid any unfortunate miscommunication...And as a hostage for his "company"'s good behavior...

Big fan of Mr. Mechamber...the Assistant Choreographer explained...

"No problem..." Willow grinned... "It's a nice speech...Especially from a vampire actor..."

She waved at a newly arrived from work Tara, along with Warren, Anya, and Xander in the crowd of bit cast and crew surrounding them...Thumbs up, fingers crossed...she displayed...

But above all...Jerome concluded...To thank the man who'd made this great night possible...Mr. Job Wescox...Whose vision and heart would shortly bring these wonderful characters and their touching stories to life...

JW needed no further introduction...And stepped forward for his own speech...His second of the evening so far...Passed to him by Angie in a new costume...

Is that one of the actors?...Warren hissed to Xander...Who shook his head...

"Wescox's secretary...Nice lady...Once you get used to the costume..."

Hey...You got used to me...Anya grinned at him, giving the Assistant Writer a kiss...

"Is that Giles...Basey...And Dawn?..." she pointed to the group now edging into the crowd...

I thought they were staying home...she looked at Xander...

And over to Buffy...Who was now frowning rather grimly at the one whom she immediately suspected of engineering this little change of plan...

Dawn throwing back her best innocent "Demon Queen in human form" smile...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXI...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XXI...

Three hours into first dress rehearsal and no incidents, Buffy noted to Giles and Basey with relief...

Despite her irritation at how easily her "Master Watcher" had let himself be persuaded by Dawn to agree to bring her down to the set in spite of Buffy's firm instructions to the contrary.

In fact...The only problems coming from the human cast...In particular, Ms. Cooke...Who continually demanded better lighting, more lines, a grander entrance, more lines, a costume change...Green was not her color, she insisted...Nor was red...and...More lines...

The demon cast exhibiting exemplary behavior...Even in the case of a drunken stuntman tweaking the large...And very sensitive...Nose of one of their largest comrades...Scodos had been allowed to take his place among the demon cast for his scenes.

Nothing like the prospect of a steady paycheck and a little fame to combat that old demon lust for murder and mayhem.

Supplemented of course by Warren's artificial blood supply...

What do you think...? Buffy eyed Basey as they watched "Mona" in battle outfit make her third monster kill...

"She seems kinda slow...And all that stopping to pray for each victim's soul...? We'd be long dead by now..." Buffy continued her review.

Much too slow, Basey agreed...Outfit's nice, though...Reminds me of Mrs. Peel on the Avengers...

But a bit much with the praying and all.

Willow standing beside them, grinned to Tara next to her...

Our Slayers are getting a mite catty, she whispered.

Grieg came over hesitantly...Willow welcoming him kindly...

Who better to get monster-killing moves from than Slayers...?

What did the Slayers think?...he asked, respectfully...

All that praying's a bit much isn't it?...And we should pick up the pace on the moves, don't you think? he eyed them.

Maybe...Buffy agreed...And yeah, pace is a bit slow...

"She's supposed to be fighting them...Not dancing with them..." she grinned.

Libby in "Mona" suit, came over...A little winded...

Whatdaya think?...she looked at them...Seemed a little slow to me.

"I think Bill here..." she nodded at Grieg... "Bill" Grieg... "Has the right idea about picking things up a little..."

Grieg beamed...Nice to have one's view taken seriously, especially by our star...

Nice touch about the praying, though, isn't...? she asked the group...

Showing that Mona cares and all...?

Well...? Basey eyed Buffy...

"You didn't like it...?" Libby stared at her assistant's friend...

Buffy?...she turned to her assistant...

"What did you think?..."

Ummn...Well...

Willow eyed Tara...

"Maybe...It should be just done once, after a series of kills..." Buffy suggested...

To keep the pace going...she hastily added.

Hmmn...Libby eyed her...Maybe you're right...Still...

"Seems mean to kill them without any feeling..." she sighed...

They are supposed to have been people once, after all.

"Ummn..."series of kills?"..." she stared at Buffy...

Little cold-blooded, don't you think?...Makes her sound no better than the monsters she hunts.

"She is killing them...And to protect people..." Basey noted...Not sending them to reform school for playing hooky.

Exactly...Buffy nods.

Slayer solidarity...Willow quietly noted to Tara with a grin.

"Well..." Libby shook her head... "I can see the idea of cutting the prayers a bit to pick up the action...But I wouldn't want Mona to get too hard..."

Wescox called to her from the main set and she left them with a wave...

"Better a little hard...Than stiff and six feet under..." Buffy noted to her fellow Slayer as she was called over as well.

"Dawn..." she glared over at a contrite-looking Dawn, watching the action with Giles a few steps away...

"You have Giles take you home at ten...No excuses...Giles?..."

He nodded...

Lemme show ya my costume, Giles...Dawn hissed eagerly as Buffy headed away...Leading him over to the costume and props tent.

People can get too sentimental about these things...Basey sighed to Willow and Tara...

"I mean...Imagine if things get screwed and we had to fight all these demons here now...There'd be no time for praying, I promise you..." she noted...

No offense intended, she nodded at Grieg.

None taken...he replied...I rather agree with you and Ms. Summers...

Warren, meanwhile, had been approached by his former schoolmates and fellow nerds, Andrew and Jonathan, webmasters extraordinare...To assist them in saving the Monaverse web site from the desecrating attacks of the infamous Leroy Paine.

"He's been sharpening his skills, I see..." Warren nodded at the screen.

"We've tried everything to block him out..." Jonathan sighed.

All we can do is hold him off a bit...He keeps breaking through...Andrew frowned...

We can't officially open the site until we deal with him.

"You got any ideas, Warren?" Jonathan looked at him.

Well...I haven't done this kinda thing in a while, fellas...Warren smiled at them...Eyeing the screen intently...

But...Maybe I can come up with something to get him off your backs.

Shortly after Buffy saw Dawn off to the house with Giles at ten, Harmony took advantage of the evening's final break to seek her out...Greeting her in the cafeteria tent...

"It's going pretty well, huh?..." she beamed at her.

Yeah...Buffy nodded...Eyeing her...Dressed in a cheerleader's outfit, wearing the awful black wig Buffy Rebecca had once described to her.

Her own idea about the cheerleader outfit, Harmony happily noted...

Adds a touch of pathos when the audience sees the poor demon girl...In a hasty couple of seconds during a fight scene...

It tells the audience the poor girl had clearly had much to live for when she died...she explained.

Yeah...Buffy nodded...Sure.

"I was wondering..." Harmony began... "If you would...Sometime...Like to go over some scenes with me..."

Here, of course...Out where people can see us...I'm not trying anything...she hastily added...

Just thought it might be good practice for both of us...And you are supposed to be a member of our troupe...she pointed out.

"Sounds neat, Buffy..." Willow smiled to her, hearing the tail end of the conversation as she came over with coffee...Buffy shooting back a slight frown...Very funny.

"Well...I hope you'll think about it..." Harmony smiled.

Oh...Do you like my wig?...she touched it, noticing Buffy's stare...

"It's my disguise...In case my family's watching some night..." she noted...

Wouldn't want them to be shocked, seeing me now and all.

Oh...Yeah...It's...Neat...Buffy nodded, sighing a little.

"Gotta go...They're calling my group back..." Harmony looked over to the set...

"Let me know what you decide..." she waved.

Poor kid...Willow noted solemnly...Eyeing Buffy...As Tara and Basey joined them...

"I bet Mona would practice with her..."

Shut up...Buffy frowned at her...Willow grinning back.

Sir...Jerome the former, now once again thespian nervously paused by Sydney...In full Demontos costume...

May I just say...That it was an honor to work with you tonight.

Mechamber eyed the young man...Who'd displayed rather excellent make-up in his scene as one of his minions...

As had the entire Scodos company.

"And you are...?" he smiled.

"Jerome...Weatherbee, sir..." Rather nice to make use of the full name again, Jerome noted to himself.

"Well...Jerome...You and your company were excellent...I can't remember when I've seen a better prepared local troupe..."

We're very lucky to have a group like yours available...he noted.

"Well...Mr. Scodos and Mr. Grieg insist on holding us to high standards, sir..." Jerome nodded.

"Have you worked in theater long, son?..." Sydney asked him... "You've been on the stage I see..."

Well...Forty...er fourteen years ago...I was on the stage...But I've only recently returned to acting...Jerome explained.

Rather new to television acting...he sheepishly smiled.

"That makes two of us, Jerome...But...All in all, I think we're off to a fair start..." Sydney grinned at him.

Thank God at least our star is experienced on TV and can cover for us, eh...?

"Oh...Miss Marsden was wonderful...A very sympathetic heroine..."

"Well...Lets hope America thinks so..." Mechamber turned to face a Buffy hurrying up to them...Just a leetle nervous to see one of Scodos' "people" so deep in conversation with a leading cast member.

"Ah...Miss Summers...Mr. Weatherbee..." Sydney introduced the two...

But you two already know each other from your theater company.

Yeah...Buffy nodded...

Hiya...she eyed Jerome who nodded back.

Hmmn...Sydney smiled at Libby now coming up with Willow and Basey...Noting Buffy and Jerome sizing each other up a bit...

Looks like our local troupe has the usual little rivalries...he whispered to Libby as Jerome made a quick good bye and headed off to join the last group of Scodos' "players" now leaving.

A rather exhausted-looking Amelia Walthrop-Hunt arrived, informing Buffy that Giles and Dawn were home safe, and Basey that her dear little brother was now securely in Giles' care...

Thank God...she noted to Willow.

Supervision of hyperactive eight year olds not being her forte...

However, she was determined to accompany her Slayer on patrol with Buffy after work...And evaluate her against the Greatest...Fully human, anyway...Slayer of All Time.

Lucky Basey...Willow whispered to Tara, rolling her eyes.

Say...Amelia asked them...Having finally caught Willow and Tara alone at last...

Could...Either of you...Recommend an interesting place for a reasonably young single woman...Interested in meeting similar women...To go in this town...?

Ummn...Willow looked at Tara...Tara at Willow...

We don't get out to many places like that...Willow hesitantly noted.

"The Bronze, mainly..." she continued...Which does cater to many types of people...

Bit of a young crowd for me...Amelia noted.

"There's the Catwalk on Morris St..." Tara suggested helpfully...Looking innocently back at Willow...

"Just a place I heard about..." she added...

Supposed to be very nice.

Amelia nodded and went over to Basey.

"When did you "hear" about that place?...You never mentioned it to me?..." Willow eyed Tara.

Little bird told me...Tara grinned back...

"And you never want to go anywhere but the Bronze."

Xander came over with Anya from the writers' tent...

There's news...he noted...Anya beaming and nodding excitedly.

"News, people!..." Wescox called the entire group...Cast and crew plus assorted guests...Together as the rehearsal ended...Beaming at all...Libby and Sydney beside him...

"The Powers That Be at our beloved network have decided to put us in early...The pilot anyway..."

Next week in fact.

The group looked at each other...Demons as well as humans equally startled...Next week...?

"Meaning we start filming immediately tomorrow...Bright and early..." Job noted...

And this is our chance to get America all hot and bothered about "Mona and the Monsters" even before the fall season...

We'll have them hanging on the edge of their seats, screaming for more...Locked in, before the other new shows against us can grab them.

"I know it's short notice..." he paused...

But judging from tonight's efforts...We're ready...he nodded proudly.

"Absolutely!..." Jerome called excitedly back from the crowd...Several demons and humans echoing his cry...

"That's what I like to hear..." Job beamed...

Patrol was a cakewalk...In fact, not a single underdweller reared his or her head...

Rather disappointing to Ms. Walthrop-Hunt, who'd hoped for a chance to make a proper final evaluation.

"Guess they're all busy working for the show...And keeping their noses clean..." Buffy noted...

Hmmn...Amelia nodded...Well, one can still observe the style of Patrol surveillance at least she sighed.

"Ms. Granger..." she turned to Basey...

"Please remember you are seeking to maximize protection of the populace...Not out for some exercise...Or a sightseeing tour..."

Pick up your pace and concentrate on observing all possible sources of danger...Leave sightseeing for daylight strolls...

Giles do this to you...? Basey hissed...As she began searching alleyways...

All the time, Buffy replied.

The following week, at the Summers home...The gang clustered around the TV...

A deep voice intones...

"When the dark falls...When Evil envelopes the world..."

Cue Mona main theme...Play

(Sunset over the town of Hellis; hideous creatures rise from every corner; panic-stricken humans flee in all directions; A ghostly gruesome image of hooded Death with his sickle appears, laughing)

"One Woman stands between the Light and the Darkness..."

(A Madonna-not that Madonna, the original one-like image of Mona in shawl fades in and arises over the town, and the world...Like a rising sun...The panic-stricken halt and turn to the face of Mona in pleading supplication...)

"That Woman is...Mona Medaris..."

(Shafts of sunlight beam through the darkness, and radiate from her risen image...)

"Who, with her small band of followers, fights unheard, unseen, unrewarded to protect us all from Destruction...

I am Professor Freyor Freider...Mentor to this brave heroine and her friends...

Who fight in the Cause of Light...Against that which would bring the Darkness...

Forever..."

Holy shit...Buffy groused quietly to Willow...This is the sort of opening I'd expect Angelis to have...If he ever had a TV show...

Though those panicky folks would all be running from him, not to him...

Lets not bite the hand that feeds us, Buf...Willow hissed back...

And that may send Dawnie to any college of her choice...she noted...

Are they kidding?...Buffy addressed the gang clustered around the TV.

"I think it's neat..." Dawn eyed her...With the dignity of an upcoming guest star...

Shush!...Anya cried...Look...

"There he is...Alexander L. Harris..." she nudged a sheepish Xander...

Assistant Writer...she beamed proudly...

"Where do they list "Technical Advisors"?" Dawn asked...Looking back at Buffy...

At the end of the show...At the end of the credits...Buffy muttered...

Geesh, Harmony gets better billing...she thought darkly.

Hmmn...Harmony Ken-Jones?...Willow asked...Watching the screen credits.

Well I suppose the poor kid is trying to spare the family she noted to Tara.

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XXII...

"Buffy Summers...Technical Advisor..." Buffy Rebecca beamed from her inn room in England at her twin via Giles' satellite link...

And actor...William, beside her, noted proudly...

Willow grinned at Buffy...

Cut it out, guys...Buffy frowned...

Tiny extra's scene and a blow-off job so I can keep a eye on our demon cast...

"Bull..."BR grinned... "You're loving it...And I oughta know..."

William's final interview before the Council pending, the Walthrops were calling to check on Buffy and Giles' plans for a brief trip to England as witnesses and moral support...

"The pilot looked great over here...Everyone's talking about it..." BR sighed...Smiling over to Willow beside Buffy...

In a reserved British way, of course...she noted...

Wish I could've seen the filming and all...

Might've learned a few things as well...

"You're not telling me you like "Mona"...? Buffy stared at her sis...

A very warm, compassionate, and sympathetic monster killer...BR solemnly noted...

Right, Will...? she turned to him...

Absolutely...I only wish I could have encountered such a warm-hearted Slayer in my early days...he nodded, with equal solemnity...

Even without my chip and my Rebecca, my path would surely've...

"Knock it off you jerks..." Buffy glared...The Walthrops beaming benignly at her...

"Just tell me, sis...Confidently...As the...Technical Advisor..." BR smiled...Eyeing Willow...

How the hell does she avoid getting killed during the praying?...

God knows...Buffy sighed...And grinned...

"So...?" BR eyed her...

How is working with...The Libby Marsden...?

And Sydney Mechamber...William noted eagerly...

Even he's a fan of Sydney Mechamber?...Anya at the counter hissed to Giles beside her...

Once an Englishman...Giles began...

"Kinda...Neat..." Buffy grinned...

Dawn burst into the Magic Box...Fresh from school...

"Hey, guys!..." she ran over to the table where the computer link had been set up...Waving at BR and Will...

"Did they tell you about my part?..." Dawn bubbled happily...

Part...? BR eyed Buffy...

A little coolly...

You let our sister hang out with those Hollywood types?...her expression clearly stating, Willow realized...

"Just a few scenes...For three episodes..." Buffy eyed her twin sheepishly...

Big chunk towards her college fund...she explained lamely...

"I'm gonna be the guest Big Baddy...The Demon Queen!..." Dawn noted excitedly...

I kill with concealed venom in my fingernails!...And die horribly!...she exulted...

"Always knew you had it in you, Nibs..." Will smiled at her...

What...? he looked innocently back at his glaring bride...

Anyway...Buffy moved on...How's things going with the Council?...

First rate...William beamed...A fine set of fellows, male and female...

Buffy and Willow stared at him...

BR rolled her eyes a bit...

Spike would enjoy killing them all of course she noted...

"Well, naturally darling..." Will agreed...

But my human aspect actually finds them quite a congenial lot...And since I am running the show with you and the chip's help these days...

Nothing unusual there really...Giles noted to Anya...

Nearly everyone on the Council would like to see the rest boiled alive at times...

"It is scary how quickly he's taken to wearing tweed..." BR smiled...

And how fast we both got used to his new glasses...

"Oh...This I gotta see..." Willow grinned...

Yeah, Will...Dawn chimed...Lets see four eyes Walthrop...

There are a few leetle problems though...To get serious...Buffy Rebecca frowned to her sis as Will reluctantly moved out of view to get his new specs...

A few members are objecting to Will's petition she explained...Based on his former career, they feel his redemption is too dependent on the chip's performance...

Ridiculous...Giles noted to Anya...They've let far worse on to the Council...

On little more than a couple of good deeds and a vague promise to keep to the straight and narrow from now on...

"We really need you guys for the final hearing..." Buffy Rebecca eyed Buffy...And looked over at Giles...

"Please come..." she pleaded...

And bringing a statement by Basey that she supports Will wouldn't hurt either...

"Is it really so bad, Will?..." Buffy spoke to him after requesting a few words alone at the end of the link...Dawn and Willow having been allowed to take several digital images of him in all his bespectacled glory...

BR graciously...At least on camera...Retiring for a brief walk...

Oh, I'm used to it now...After all tweeds and glasses were my standard dress a century ago...he grinned...

Will...Buffy glared...

Nah...The Missus is homesick...he insisted...Wants her sis...

Buffy looked at him...Will?

Well...he sheepishly backed down...

Your being here would help...he admitted...

It's only natural that some...A lot...Of the Council have their doubts...he noted...

Hell, as an apprentice Watcher, I must say I'd vote me down...Given the facts of the case they have from us...

A few character references would not hurt...he nodded...

"But she does miss you...All of you..." he added...Nodding at Willow who'd returned...

And she's been sick...he hesitated...

"You did not hear that from me...Understand?..." he hastily added...

Sick?...Willow eyed him...Staring at Buffy...

Buffy would be sick in this rainy English weather if she caught something...So Buffy Rebecca is sick... Even more easy for BR to get sick in some ways, Will noted...

No immune system...Her artificial blood was severely contaminated for four days last week...

She did look a little pale...Willow noted...

Had a high fever...And some twitching in her limbs...he noted...

I called Warren...

And told him not to say anything unless it got serious...he hastily added, seeing Buffy's annoyed look...

She's much better now...But what with that and the fretting over me, a visit from Sis and ole Giles would pick her up...he concluded...And ease her mind about the hearing...

"He told you..." BR frowned, eyeing Buffy as she had a last moment with her sis before terminating the link...Will having taken his turn at temporary exile...

I'm fine, you know...she shook her head...He worries too much...

Just a cold...Probably just what I had in Scotland back again...

"Twitching limbs...And high fever?..." Buffy looked at her twin...

Simulated fever, sis...Remember?...BR noted...

Call it King George's Revenge...Right, Giles?...she called over in the direction where she could just make out his form on the monitor...

However...Buffy Rebecca grinned...

No reason my little bug can't come in handy...

"You know sis...It might be wise to have dear ole Dad over to check me out..."

Will sure would like it...He's been calling him every night...Describing my every symptom...

And...You might like it too...she smiled...Having a little company for sightseeing when the Council's not in session...

"Just tell Warren...I seemed a leetle...Anxious...Bout my condition..."

He's a good dad...He'll come...she beamed...

Buffy, Giles...And Warren...Headed out for England two days later...Buffy having previously arranged several days break...

An eager Ms. Walthrop-Hunt quite pleased to have Sunnydale entrusted to her new Slayer's care...A real chance for a full evaluation she happily noted to Basey...

Gr..eat...Ms. Granger dutifully nodded...

At Buffy Rebecca's...Somewhat anxious, she noted...request, Buffy consulted her twin's "dad"...

Perhaps exaggerating BR's current condition a bit...

Sometimes those bionetic limbs do act up a little...When the user is ill...Warren had noted...

"She seemed nervous, Warren..." Willow chimed in...

Buffy noted that her twin might require his skilled assist if her limbs did malfunction in the course of her illness...Especially at such a critical time...

You should come...Buffy nodded...

Your little girl needs her 'dad'...

Well...Maybe...I...

Great...Buffy beamed...

Just glad you'll be coming...Honey...she'd noted in front of the gang at the Magic Box to the startled but gradually rather pleased Warren...

Who found, perhaps...Despite the short notice...And for the sake of his dear 'daughter' and best friend's wife...That he could get away...For a few days...

Bout time, Dr. Mears...Willow thought...

Even if she did have to practically drag you along...

And it's not really a lie...BR is still green with anxiety regarding Will and his Watcher interview...His acceptance by the Council being a key step in officially confirming his redemption...And earning a ticket through those pearly gates someday with his beloved Missus...

Might even cancel out the need for that damned trip to Hell he's been talking about...

Just before leaving for England with Buffy and Giles, Warren was summoned by his old schoolmates for some further assistance in combating the "Phantom of the Monaverse", Leroy Daine...

A rather high level meeting being held...What with the pilot's rather successful summer premiere, the website opening was now a top priority...

Wescox, Libby, Willow, and an intrigued Sydney...Fascinated by computers but not the slightest idea how to use them he noted to Willow...Joining the Acolytes and Warren...

With additional advice from Willow, Warren's blocking program had succeeded in holding off the infamous Mr. Daine in his attacks on the main site...

But the fiendish Leroy had turned to another method of attack...

"He's got some repeating program going...Probably spreading round via unsuspecting innocents on the net...It's posted 16000 messages so far...Half demanding we use his canon for the Monaverse and that we're all gay...The rest threatening to give each cast and production team members' name and home phone number unless we use the "Phantom's" canon...And that each is gay...To the "Mona at her K-Mart break room" board..." Andrew sighed to Warren and Willow as they met for an urgently called strategy conference...

"What else does he say?..." Willow eyed the message board...

That's it... "My Canon or Else!...You Guys Must All Be Gay!"..."Use Phantom Canon or We Give Your Addresses and Phone Numbers...You Guys Are All Gay!"...Jonathan pointed to the screen...

He's kinda limited in ideas once he gets beyond computer hacking...

17,200 now...Andrew glumly tallied...

We can't delete 'em fast enough no matter what we do...It just makes the program post faster...

Hmmn...Willow eyed Warren...

Maybe we could specifically block him...

"Tried it...He's using a program to create random title phrases as well as names to get past our blocks...We can't keep him out without keeping true fans out as well..." Jonathan sighed...

Annoying little putz...Sydney noted...Eyeing Libby...

"Maybe the best way is to kill him with kindness..." he noted...

Invite him to the set, he explained...Make him think you respect his ideas...Get him on your side...

"Not Leroy..." Andrew shook his head...

We let him think he's welcome here...Once...And he'll be here every day...Demanding absolute control over the canon and the website...We'll never get rid of him...

Well...Sydney grinned at Libby...And winked at Job...

Invite him over anyway...

Maybe we can speak to him in a language he'd understand...he noted solemnly...

"What's he like...?" Libby asked, eyeing Sydney with a grin...

Well...Jonathan sighed...Actually...

"We've never met him in person..." Andrew explained...

They say he almost never leaves his home...Jonathan added...

"Oh, I definitely think we should have him over..." Libby smiled at Job...

The infamous Daine accepted the invite two days later...After Buffy, Giles, and Warren had left for England...

At the appointed time...While Wescox spoke to the daily crowd at the set...A steadily growing crowd as "Mona madness"...TeeVee Guide's phrase...Continued to build following the pilot's airing...

"Hey, Job...Job Wescox..." a chubby teen called...Shoving his way through...

Leroy Daine...he noted...

Let 'im through...Wescox sighed to a guard...And had his webmasters summoned...

"I gotta a statement to make..." Leroy pronounced before the crowd...

Uh-huh...Wescox sighed...Great...I know where this is going...he thought.

"The Mona canon on your web site is freaking wrong!..." the teen insisted...

Our Mona group...(Actually just him, but what the hell, it'll grow...And they'll all agree with him)...Decided on the true canon last night...he proclaimed...

"Lemme tell you how it should go..."

Jonathan and Andrew eyed each other as they arrived...

Heretic...

Besides...There's only been the pilot run so far...

"Boys...Our guest, Mr. Daine..." Job noted...

Somehow he's exactly as I pictured him...Jonathan thought eyeing Leroy...

Lets take this to my office...Wescox suggested...

And at Jonathan's request called in Willow to join in...

"So..." Job smiled at Leroy...

We have a little problem to discuss...

"You've become quite the little nuisance, Leroy..." he noted...

"Me...?" he sneered...

"I ain't done nothing...That your bozos there..." he pointed to Andrew and Jonathan...Glaring back at him... "Can prove..."

"They did block your attacks..." Willow eyed him...

He sullenly glared at her...Mumbling to himself...

"What attacks?..." he finally replied...Affecting what he took to be a causal air...

"You hacked our site...You've been sending us quite a lot of posts with some pretty unreasonable demands..." Wescox frowned at him...

"Prove it..." Leroy folded his arms...

"I can't help it if 32,201 people...As of eleven am today...Agree with me..." he grinned...

"Kid...I got more to do than play games with you..." JW eyed him...

So...I'm turning this over to my assistant Ms. Rosenberg here...My webmasters...

And...My legal staff...

Leroy blinked at the finale...Ummn...

But...They got nothin'...No one can touch the great Daine...he confidently told himself...Stretching in his chair...

"Ms. Rosenberg...? Let me know how things go..." Wescox looked at Willow...A slight gleam in his eye...

Uh...Yeah...Willow nodded...

Sure...Boss...

This a promotion?...she wondered...

A tall, tense woman of thirty?-something in dark glasses and suit with briefcase strode in, accompanied by a rather hefty tall man, bald...Likewise with case...

"Leroy Daine...?" the woman asked in a brittle and cold voice, glaring at Leroy...Opening her briefcase on Wescox's desk...

Lisa Pengus of Pengus, Podlus, and Smith...she handed him a card...the large man following suit...

Mike Podlus...he nodded at the boy in a gravelly voice...

"We represent the Job Wescox production company for "Mona and the Monsters, Inc...You've been making damaging attacks to the copyrighted website of this production..." Ms. Pengus coldly noted...

Damagin' attacks...Podlus nodded, eyeing Leroy...

And recently began making personal threats against our webmasters here...the woman nodded at Andrew and Jonathan...

Very personal...Podlus grimly chimed in...Whacking a fist in a hand...

And posted personal threats to cast and crew members...she added...

Very personal threats...Podlus noted...

"You will cease and desist at once...Or Mr. Wescox has authorized us to take any and all action necessary to stop you..." Ms. Pengus eyed him coldly...

Leroy squirmed in his chair...But tried a touch of bravado...

"You got nothing on me...You can't prove I done anything..."

Ms. Pengus reached into her case and pulled out...A small tape recorder...And after a brief rewind, played it...

"Sure I did it...I screwed your site...And I'm gonna get you guys...And all of you...Nobody does it to Leroy Daine...Nobody..." she stopped the tape...

Want more...? she smiled grimly...

"That ain't me..." Leroy gasped...

"Sure sounds like you..." Mike grimly noted...

"I never said that...This is some kinda trick..." Leroy glared...

Ms. Pendus glanced at Willow...Smiling with a pair of unmistakable big lips...Though with rather dull lipstick lessening their usual impact...

Wait a minute...Willow thought...

Podlus glared at Leroy...

"Punk...You are in it deep...Very deep..." he stepped forward...

Leroy sank back in his chair...Hey...

"This is a frame..." he looked around nervously...

"I never said any of those things...You think I'm stupid...?"

Yeah...We do...Ms. Pengus smiled...

Stupid enough to leave us a copy of your voice on tape when you returned our message inviting you over...

"We don't play around in this business, kid..." Podlus moved up to him...

"I didn't do nothing...Just fooling around..." he mumbled as Podlus approached...

Ms. Pengus put a hand out, stopping her angry fellow barrister...

My partner likes to save our clients time and expense whenever possible...she noted coldly...

Yeah...Mike grinned...Smacking a fist...

And it gives me such personal satisfaction...

"Just...Fooling...Around..." Leroy stared around the room for help...

We don't fool around...Punk...Podlus smiled...

"But..." Ms. Pengus smiled coolly...

Maybe our client Mr. Wescox would be willing to let you off easy...If you cut out the postings as of yesterday...

"Meaning...You stop your program and delete them...Today...Now..." Podlus eyed him...

Yeah...Sure...Leroy nodded feebly...

Just a joke, ya know?...

"Don't see you laughing now, kid..." Mike glared at him...

There's a computer station right over there...Ms. Pengus pointed...

So you can do the deletes right now...

"Convenient, eh...Punk...?" Podlus glared him over to the chair...

Yeah...Heh...heh...Leroy nodded...Sitting down...

Great...

Fifteen minutes later Leroy took his nervous leave, Andrew and Jonathan having pronounced the site clear and the offensive postings properly deleted...

Well...Ms. Pengus grinned at Willow...

Emmy caliber...? or no...?

Oscar...Willow grinned back as Libby removed her glasses...

"Nah...The Oscar goes to Mike here..." Libby beamed, hugging Podlus...

And the props guys...

Sydney sighed...Well, cheap imitation Eastwood isn't quite my style...he grinned as he removed his fat vest and bald wig...

But I always did want to play..."der fat man" he hissed in excellent Peter Lorre...

"You guys were terrific..." Jonathan beamed...

Shame Buf was in England...And that we didn't get a videotape...Willow noted, grinning...

Take two, Sydney...? Libby smiled at Mechamber...Who waved his hands...Why not?...

Jonathan...You will be our Leroy...she pronounced...

But no offense intended...she hastily added...

"Willow, Andrew...Video camera's in the back room.." she pointed...

Then...Places everybody...

I have an option to direct after all, she grinned at Willow...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXIII...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Part XXIII...

"This week...On "Mona and the Monsters"..." the announcer intoned...

When a friend and classmate is ensnared for evil by the fiendish Demontos...

"If there's even a chance of saving his soul...I've got to try..." Mona noted solemnly...A soulfully determined stare into space...

(Oh brother...Buffy rolled her eyes...Dawn annoyed, shushing her...)

On screen, the Professor sighed...Grabbing his assistant Henry's hand as he rolled a newt's eye across the table...

(What a geek...Xander noted to Willow...Unbelievable...)

"My girl...You don't know what you're asking of the Minions of Light...You'll be placing your own soul on the balance..." Professor Freider sighed.

"It's my choice, Professor..." Mona stared at him...Steely-eyed.

(You know... "The West Wing" is on channel five...Buffy noted...The others...Warren, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Basey, Amelia, and Leroy staring at her...

But...This is the prelude to my guest appearance next week...Dawn looked at her.

Ok, ok...Buffy sighed...Grousing back in her seat, arms folded...

Should've got Warren to take me out tonight...Or gone over with him to Giles' to do some research...she thought.

Geesh, Buf...How's about a little company loyalty?...Willow thought.)

"Well..." Amelia noted as they all sat in the Summers' kitchen after the show, Buffy and Basey preparing for Patrol...Under her watchful eye, at least in Ms. Granger's case...

"A bit inefficient...With regards to her praying and all...But all things considered...You ladies could learn a thing or two from Miss Mona."

Dawn nodded...As befitting a "Mona" guest nemesis...

One learns to appreciate a worthy adversary...Not that she had anything to say against Buffy's or Basey's fighting styles...

Just...Mona did have some rather neat moves...Especially in the upcoming episode where she hacks my head off as I try to fool her with the sweet young girl act again...she noted to Anya.

The Slayers blinked at Ms. Walthrop-Hunt in unison...Learn...? From Mona...?

"Her attack mode was excellent..." Amelia pointed out...A rapid strike on contact without pause...

Exactly...Dawn noted to Anya...That's just how she gets the drop on me...

Geesh...Anya frowned a bit at Dawn...Give the plot away, why don't you.

I've noted, Ms. Summers...Amelia turned to Buffy...

"You've a habit of pausing to address the creature before your attack."

A habit Ms. Granger is acquiring...she frowned at Basey.

Is she suggesting...? What I think she's suggesting?...Buffy thought.

Give up my "Here's the deal?..."

Unthinkable.

Always thought Buffy was a bit long-winded with that speechifying of hers...Anya whispered to Xander.

"Mr. Callis does a nice job as the Professor, don't you think?..." Willow kindly and loyally diverted the subject...

Yeah...Tara nodded, taking the hint...

A regular Giles.

"Say...Buffy?...Any more word from BR and Will?..." she turned to Buffy.

Inner Circle of the Council is still in deliberation...Buffy noted...But Giles is still sure they'll go along...

All the guys he corralled while we were in England should've voted for Will at the full Council session secret ballot...And the Inner Circle is bound...Supposedly...By the full Council's wishes...

Not to mention...My own and Sis'...she added grimly.

"Will's a shoe-in..." Warren agreed...

All the fellows I talked to at the sessions were in his court..he smiled at Buffy who smiled back.

"Lemme get my coat, honey..." she patted him.

Warren's coming too...she explained to Amelia...A bit tersely, Willow noted...

But then...No one disses Buffy's "Here's the Deal"...Even Giles could never her break of the habit...

Sort of like Mona's praying...The Slayer's trademark.

Hmmn...Scared to death of the Summers' Slayers weren't they?...she hissed to Warren after Buffy left them for a mo.

Terrified...Warren nodded...

"They were even nice to me...Thinking I was Buffy's...Ummn..." he paused.

Geesh...Warren...Dawn thought, rolling her eyes...She's been calling you honey in every sentence since you got back from England the other day...

Cross that line, boy.

"Warren..." Basey took the forthright approach to help her two dear friends move it along...One she could hope someone might likewise do with Giles in the near future...

You are Buffy's...

"Body and soul..." she grinned wickedly...Willow and Tara grinning as well...

Xander blinked a bit...

Not that he didn't like ole War...Just...Well...

This is Buffy Summers...Not some Katrina...Or even some Libby Marsden or Sarah Gellar movie star type...

On the other hand, a great victory for the nobler sort of geek and nerd the world over...

Warren blinked as well...As he caught Dawn eyeing him with an shrewdly appraising look befitting a cautious and protective sister...

Well...her eyes narrowed to "Demon Queen" intensity...

A whole different ballgame for you now, Dr. Mears...her careful look said...

But..For the moment...You'll do...her slight nod indicated.

"Guess I am at that..." he smiled...Returning Dawn's nod.

Tara smiled at him...But gave Willow a slight nervous glance...

Him?...she did not say...

Not that I don't like him. He's been true blue since he created BR and helped us beat Glory...In fact, I kinda think Willow was a leetle nervous bout me and him for a bit...It's just...He's not exactly the supernatural fighter type. Or the sort of Undead hottie Buf seems to naturally latch on to...

Him...Willow looked back...And damned well bout time our poor Buf got some again. From somebody nice...With a steady, honest income...No dark Government agency background...

And breathing.

God...Don't let things go blooey with the peace tonight...Willow sighed to herself.

Warren's no fighter, just a nice guy...And Buffy needs a nice guy.

Oh, well...He does seem to be catching on...And what the hell did we know about fighting demons when we first joined up...she thought.

"Ready?..." Buffy came to the kitchen hallway...Basey and Amelia rising...

"All set...Honey..." Warren nodded, rising as well.

Back at his lair...The infamous Leroy Daine plotted his next move...

Ok, he sat in his chair and whined at the computer screen...Reviewing the official Mona web site and associated message boards and forums...

Bastards...Not even coming close to using his canon...The One True Bible of the Monaverse, if only those morons had vision...

But given the attitude of MTM's legal staff...His options for action were limited...

And no one seemed to go along with his ideas in any of the open, democratic Mona forums available on net. No mob of independent posters, ready to follow his lead, seemed to be forming, despite his frequent calls to march.

Fools...Well, since when has Democracy been an efficient form of government...? The Monaverse requires a single, unique vision...

His.

I mean, look at these fan-fics...Such ridiculously wrong-headed ideas...No, a single Voice was required here...To bring clarity...And order...

A Borg King, you might say.

Hmmn...

Wonder if there might be any dirt to dredge up on those bastard lawyers...Pengus and Podlus, was it?...

Well...Gilmore Girls wasn't on for another hour...Worth a Google anyway.

Though he needed some time to work on the Gilmore canon...To be sent out after tonight's episode...

There were problems crying out for his vision on that show too. But Lauren was sure to back his ideas...He could tell she understood him. They were soulmates.

Like him and Mona...

"We're in the money..." Scodos happily hummed...Politely nodding to the Sunnydale Mall mens' store sales girl as he paid for a new suit...With his first "Mona" paycheck.

Rather nice to be back at the Mall...As paying customer rather than leader of Dreg's ragged band of vamp mercenaries...

They've done a terrific job on the restoration so far...he noted to the girl. About sixty percent of the stores having been reopened.

After that terrible earthquake last year...he nodded solemnly.

"Fred...?" Harmony called from the Mall corridor...Carefully using his old human first name...

He sighed...Oh, well...What the hell...With things going so well, he could ever bear Harmony for a little while...

And the kid was behaving herself.

"What's up, sweetheart..." the head of the Scodos Theatrical Company smiled at her...

Enjoying the fruits of your labors?...he grinned.

Pretty girl, actually...he noted.

Hmm-hmmn...she nodded...Raising a well-stuffed bag...

"Have you seen Buffy since she got back?"

Indeed...he nodded, emerging from the store with his new suit...

Ms. Summers was quite pleased with the way things went during her brief absence...Ms. Granger had no trouble at all...he smiled.

Great...

Ummn...Harmony eyed him...

"Did she mention anything about...Rehearsing with me?"

She's still on that kick?...Scodos looked at her...

Well, sweet of her really...Kid does have a good heart...

Especially for a killer demon with barely restrained bloodlust.

"I'm sure the Slayer's just been busy resettling in since her trip..." he noted kindly.

Yeah...Harmony sighed, a little crestfallen...

Actually...Scodos hesitated...

I'm to meet her briefly tonight...

Oh...? she eyed him...

Well...It's a leetle surprise for our folks, really...She wants to arrange a few additional jobs for our people with the W/S Bionetics Corporation...If I can recommend a few trustworthy types.

"Really...?" Harmony stared...

Just some night maintenance and security...But, heck every little bit helps...And the Slayer is very happy with the success of our employment program so far.

Employment program?...she blinked at him.

Under the effect of his heady success with the Mona project, "Fred" Scodos had begun to resume his old career in human...Well, you know...resources.

Buffy the Vampire Employment Counselor...? Harmony thought.

"Why don't you come along, kid?" he grinned...

Ms. Summers won't mind, I'm sure...And you can see when she might be willing to do some work with you.

Angel has his curse, Spike his chip and his own Buffy...We have steady employment... And an artistic outlet...Harmony thought.

Well, whatever works, I guess...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXIV...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(See part XVIII posted for a background review...Or better yet read "Sunnydalopolis" and "The Tie that Binds" at my BR verse page link above)

Part XXIV...

Promo for "Mona and the Monsters"

Episode 4: "Agency"

Guest Star: Kelly Preston

Special Guest Stars: Sarah and Frederick Prinze (in the BR verse, different folks, she uses the Prinze...He doesn't use the Jr.)

Introducing: Dawn Summers as the Demon Queen...

Regular cast in order of appearance...

Ruthie Myers, college student, Mona's best buddy : Sally Kirke

Henry Tugwell, college grad student and student of the paranormal: Mich Bramwell

Mona Medaris, monster fighter, college student, K-mart shopgirl: Libby Marsden

Janey Myers, Ruthie's sister: Susan Cooke

Dr. Freider, college history professor, expert on the paranormal, college advisor to Henry: Mark Callis

Demontos: Sidney Mechamber

Meng, his chief aide: Michael Cheng

Amanda Wilkens, wealthy businesswoman, servant of Demontos: Henrietta Lowler

William Norie, uncle of Mona Medaris: Kurt Webster

Ann Medaris, Mona Medaris' mom: Kathy Laner

Moe Medaris, Mona Medaris' dad: Henry Madwell

Moe Medaris, Jr, Mona Medaris' older brother: Charles King

Sheriff Oscar Franke: Michael Henry Farr

Deputy Barney Miller: Hank Calder

Man in coffee shop, table # 4: Job Wescox

Additional townspeople, college, coffee shop and K-mart: Willow Rosenberg, Tara Maclauy, Will Wesler, Jonathan Levinson, Warren Mears, Buffy Summers, Jill West, Janice Presler, Bill Grier, Michell Wilkins, Job Wescox, Fred Scodos, Bill Grieg, Michael Cheng, Ann Lester, Harmony Ken-Jones, D. Hoffryn, members of the Scodos Theatrical Company.

Director: Job Wescox

Written by: Sukie Willis, Tycho Felig, Alexander Harris

Produced by Job Wescox

Choreography by Sid Fried and Bill Grieg

Music by Michael Herner, Job Wescox

"Mona and the Monsters" is a Job Wescox production, 2002 all rights reserved...

Announcer: "Next week on 'Mona...' Why would famed actors abandon the great talent agencies of Hollywood and New York to work under the guidance of a little Hellis talent agency?...In rather second-rate productions...Is it really the firm's dedicated one-on-one approach, or is Hell itself seeking to sign big-name stars?...Kelly Preston returns as the hard-boiled detective and monster -tracker, Joe Frakes, to assist Mona in probing a new Hellis-based talent agency that seems to be having a little too much success in signing big name stars. Scoody-Doo star Fred Prinze plays an anxious if bumbling movie star seeking to save his missing wife from the clutches of the mysterious "agency"..."

Mona: "You're sure about this...? I mean, we all read about her coming to Hellis...But that doesn't mean she's necessarily...Possessed..."

Frakes: "There have been a lot of similar cases recently...Besides, look at this interview she gave...Last week's TV Guide..." Hands Mona a TV Guide...She reads...Janey attempting to read over her shoulder...

Mona: "My God...That was a short honeymoon...Janey!..." Janey grabs at the guide...

Janey, sadly: "Look at that...She dissed him... 'Fred just doesn't have my ambition, I guess' she quotes..."

"Just like Gillian Anderson and her husband a few years ago...Geesch. How could she diss her own husband in TV Guide?..."

Henry, sighing: "The Prinzes seemed so happy together...In all those photos..." The others look at him...Professor Freider glaring a little at his assistant...

"I read InStyle in the barbershop...Sue me..." he shrugged...Adjusting his glasses...

Professor Freider sighed...

Mona, to Joe: "So she signed with the Heinlein Agency here in town...And then gave this interview...Suddenly abandoned her new hubby and new Shakespearean career for crappy horror films...And Fred Prinze came to you for help?..."

Frakes: "The word about me's been getting out on the street..."

Henry, frowning: "There are only three detective agencies in Hellis...And your name's the first in alphabetical order..."

Geesch...Dawn frowned at the television screen...

"They didn't show me..." a slight glare at her partner, Xander...The Assistant Writer...Who sank back into the sofa cushions...

They were supposed to start my episodes last week...her glare at Xander intensified...

"I told you Dawny, scheduling conflict for the guest stars...They had to change the episode order..." he sighed...

"You're next week's big surprise at the end, kiddo..." Basey patted her...

"Yeah..." Willow nodded... "The Demon Queen only shows for a moment to bridge to the next story...You can't expect them to give you away in the promo..."

The week after's your big week...she grinned...Tara nodding...

Nah...Dawn shook her head...

Reruns till mid-next month...

Even better...More suspenseful...Tara quickly noted...The prelude this week, the little glimpse of you next week...Then...

"Reruns after only four episodes and the pilot?...What a rip-off..." Buffy grumbled..."And I thought Ms. Gellar-Prinze was 'never gonna set foot in Sunnydale again' after that incident at the Mall...?"

"It's my fault..." Libby sighed from her chair in the Summers' living room... "I gotta do a week in Austin, Texas filming some scenes for Quentin Tarentino...It's a deal my people worked out with Job..."

"Mona's a hit...Ms. Gellar-Prinze rethought her position..." Dawn noted, with the experienced demeanor of a TV professional...

"You really think she looks like me...?" Buffy looked at Willow... "I don't think I'm that boney..."

"What's she like...? I never did get to meet her..." Dawn looked over at Libby...Who hedged...

"Just worked with her a couple of scenes...And met her at a reception once...She seems very nice..."

The competition...Willow grinned...

"She was up for the part..." Libby sheepishly smiled... "But Job wanted me..."

"Nobody prays like me after a monster kill..." she solemnly noted...

"Honey..." Anya patted Xander, whispering for Libby's clueless sake... "Thanks for getting D'Hoffryn that spot...He said to tell you he had the time of his existence...And will refrain from seeking your death in excruciating agony for taking me away from the firm..."

That was a joke, you know...she hastily added...If he'd wanted you dead...

A beaming BR was on the satellite link...Buffy and the others scattered round to applaud "Dr." William Soames Walthrop, Council watcher...By one squeaky vote...

"So...Your brother-in-law's now a member of the Royal Librarians?..." Libby whispered to Dawn...

Antiquarians...Very prestigious group...Dawn noted solemnly...

Later that night...

The Monaverse webmasters emerged from their office trailer at the Sunnydale production site...Both Andrew and Jonathan looking lost in deep thought as to the future of the Monaverse...As befit two Acolytes of Mona to whom awesome responsibility had been entrusted...

Especially with a crowd of adoring nerd Mona groupies watching from the site fence...

Largely female, Jonathan hoped...Just hated it when he had to tell the adoring guys no dice...They seemed so hopeful...Then heartbroken...

"There they are...!" several groupies screamed... "Jonathan, Andrew!...Use my jpg image for your wallpaper...Make me a Mona character, use my face!" several waved photos...

Many already clutching downloaded copies of the Mona Canon as completed to date...A few pressing petitions to be presented for website changes, but only as the Canon indicated...Most respectfully attempting to offer questions to the High Priests of the Monaverse...

They paused to bestow a benediction on the crowd of True Followers of the Faith...

To find a raging Leroy Daine standing in the midst...

"You bastards!..." he screamed...

"It was all a set-up...There's no legal firm by that name...!"

Geesch...Jonathan thought...He gets a free command performance by our stars and he's gripping...

"These guys are all wrong about the canon!..." Leroy yelled at the crowd "And they're..." No one was listening...

Rather they generously chose to avoid looking at the mighty Daine brought low...

His own kind...Betraying him...he raged...

But then the bastards had never followed him...

Still, that healthy fear of his taunts was gone...Several snickered at him...Probably the fools who'd dared question his Gilmore Girls canon last night...

The Guardians of the Monaverse had reached the site gate...A guard cleared a space for their car...

Another guard moved to confront Mr. Daine...Towering over the chubby boy...Especially likely to instill fear with his authoritative presence due to his being one of Scodos' company...Recently hired with the Slayer's approval under the truce...After all, a vegetarian by nature, despite his seven foot height and clawlike hands...

But, so long as the kid remained on public property...

Though not being arrested as a martyr for his cause was likewise not likely to win back the position he'd just lost...

"Let him be..." Jonathan noted to the guard...As he and Andrew were escorted to his car...He nodding to the valet...Who gave a dutiful nod...

"Levinson!..." Leroy screamed at Jonathan as they walked away from him...

"You won't get away with this!...None of you!...Nobody does to me!...I do to them!..."

"I'm LEROY CARSON DAINE!...I'm no cheap troll clown lurking around sites to annoy people !..."

"LEVINSON!..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXV...

PG13

Spoilers: I make no apologies for the utter ripoff of "Storyteller" in this chapter but mild spoiler alert if you haven't seen that episode...

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Josh Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

Libby Marsden Play Libby's Theme (You've Got to Hide Your Love Away...)

Part XXV...

"Welcome...Gentle Viewer..." Andrew in late 1930's reporter's hat, press ticket stuck in brim, stared at Jonathan's video camera...

"Today...Fellow devoted fans...We have a special treat in store for you..."

Come...he waved...Tugging at his hat to keep it from falling off...

"These are the halls of power for the production team that brings our heroine and her tales to life...The pulsating corridors of creativity...The Sunnydale offices for Job Wescox Productions...Creative force of "Mona And The Monsters..."

He pointed at a closed door...Office of the Assistant Producer tacked on an index card and stuck on the door with a thumb-tack...

"Behind this door...Are answers to many of the questions which you, the devoted Mona fan...And I, your reporter and webmaster, likewise a devoted acolyte...Having burning...Within the bosom of our hearts..."

He knocks...Jonathan focusing on his tapping fist...

"Come on in..." a voice calls...

Let us...Enter...Andrew solemnly notes...And opens to reveal a beaming Libby in a chair behind a desk...In her Mona "battle jacket"...

Hi...she waves...

"Yes...Gentle devotee...We, your humble webmasters, Andrew...And..." he waves grandly at the camera... "Jonathan...Have brought you...Mona herself..."

"A ten-minute interview...With Ms. Libby Marsden..." he offers due solemnity...

It can be longer...she calls...I'm done for today...

"Ten minutes is all our bandwidth will allow..." Andrew hisses to her...

Oh...

"So..." he takes his intrepid reporter's stance in front of her...

"Ms. Libby Marsden...Star of screen, stage, and television..."

"Only one play, Andrew...Professionally I mean..." she smiled shyly...

"Tell us...Ms. Libby Marsden...What led to you the awesome decision to forever shape your career around the part...Of Mona...?" he sat on the edge of her desk...Staring down at her...

She looks at him, a little unnerved by his intense stare...

Ummn...

"Well...I'd heard Sydney was thinking about working in TV...And then Job asked me...And when Sydney decided to take the Demontos part..."

Ah...Andrew eyes her...So...

"Sydney Mechamber...Your co-star...Played an important role in your decision to become the personification...Of Mona..."

Well...she looks for help from Jonathan...

"I always like working with Sydney...He's a great actor..."

A really, really great actor...she continues...

"Tell us...More..." Andrew intensifies his stare...

Really great...she smiles frozenly...

Great actor...

"And...Job's a lot of fun too...Very creative..." she tries desperately...

Cut...Jonathan calls, shutting the camera off...

"Andrew...Will you stop it...? You're like the Inquisition..."

"It's ok..." Libby wanly smiled...

But...Could you back away a little, Andrew?...she waved...

"I get claustrophobic..."

Ah...He nodded...Claustrophobic, eh...Seizing the angle...He sat down a little further down the desk...

Thanks...she smiled...Ok, she beamed over...Brushing her long black hair back as Jonathan worshipfully eyed her...

Jonathan resumed his filming...

"So...Ms. Marsden..." Andrew eyes her...

"I understand you've overcome a serious disability in achieving your acting career...An ironic disability..." he notes...Staring at her...

"Ummn...Well...It's just a little claustrophobia..." she looks at him, then Jonathan...

"Claustrophobia...In a major television star...Idolized by millions of raging, panting fans...Pressing on her in huge mobs at every public outing..." Andrew turns to the camera...

She blinks...Ummn...Clearly seeing those millions pressing..."Could I have a drink of water...?" she asks...

"Ironic, indeed, eh?...Gentle viewers?..." Andrew solemnly nods...

The remaining Sunnydale Slayers...Buffy and Basey...Were meeting alone with their Master Watcher to evaluate the...so-far...success of the Scodos Theatrical Company...

"It seems to be working out quite well...No one's come to any harm..."

Hmm...

"I'd even say our demons are finding earning honest paychecks an agreeable experience..."

Hmm-hmmn...Sigh...

"Xander's doing very well at his little writing career..."

Xander...Our "writer"...Yeah...

"Willow's sure to find her job a big asset when she's ready to start work after college..."

Uh-huh...

"Dawn's college fund is growing by leaps and bounds...And Dawn seems to really enjoying her little acting career..."

Dawn...Our "demon queen"...A slight groan from Buffy as she stares at the wall...

"Buffy..." Giles frowned at her...As the Slayer sulked in her chair at the research table of the Magic Box...

"I thought it was understood that it was my job to throw cold water and moan and groan at times...And...schemes like these..."

But for once, this crazy little plan seems to be working...he noted...

"And even if it later fails disastrously...You and Dawn will've gained valuable work experience and a nice addition to your bank accounts..."

Basey beside Buffy grinned a little, canning it when Buffy glared at her...

"We can't all be stars, Buffy...Some of us never get the chance..." Giles eyed her...

"And even stars fade for a time...In the light..."

It can be a chance for them to rest a little and think through their lives while they have the chance...

"I don't think "Mona" is gonna do the Slaying for us in Sunnydale, Giles..." she glared...

"It's not really..."Mona"...Who's bothering you, Buffy..." he stared back...

Buffy's glare reached serious proportions...

Uh-oh...Basey stared...

"Should I go...?" she asked the Master Watcher brightly...

Amelia should be back soon from her furniture hunt...Probably'll want me to train...

"It's not you either, Basey..." he smiled at her...

But...Perhaps...

"I am not..." Buffy began...

I'll be in the back...Basey smiled...Mainly at Giles...

"Giles..." Buffy frowned at him...

"Buffy..." he stared back...

"I had hoped when your "sister" left for Europe with William and you seemed happy with Warren and your increased duties...You'd begun to put things behind you..." he began...

"Are you saying...? What I think you're saying...?"

"I'm saying...You've been through a great deal this year...Several great deals in fact...And you've been denied much chance to deal with the intense emotions that those events have triggered..."

"You think I'm jealous of my roboclone...?"

"She has achieved much of what you would have liked to...She's happily married, saving soul and body of the man she loved in the process, she has a "father" of sorts who is devoted to her, she's likely to soon have children, she has a firm career goal in mind and well underway...She...And I don't mean to hurt you with this, my dear...She is a stronger and faster Slayer and always will be...And...I notice..."

"She seems to have suddenly stopped being your... "sister"..." he noted coolly...

"So...Gentle viewers...Our heroine's portrayer fears large crowds and tight spaces..." Andrew eyes the camera...

No doubt a reflection of the natural modesty she shares with her alter ego...

"But let us delve more into the subject of our heroine's co-star...The famed Mr. Mechamber...Our "Demontos" supervillain..."

A really great actor, as our star has noted...he smiles at Libby...Who bears a somewhat uncertain look now...

"You've worked with Sydney Mechamber on a number of projects, have you not...?" he turns back to her...

Ummn...Well, yeah...she nods...Eyeing Jonathan...Andrew feels his reporter's hat, pressing it back down firmly on his head...

Andrew...Jonathan thinks...I think you're getting...

"You worked together in "Evensong", "Death In Venice", "Matchless"...Films which established you as a star in films..." Andrew notes solemnly...

"And you'll be playing in Quentin Tarentino's "Byzantium"...Coming to a network near you, gentle viewer...This fall..." he looks back to the camera...

"Thanks for the plug..." she frowns a little... "But we're not working together on that one...It's a miniseries...He's playing Emperor Justinian...I'm playing the evil Empress Irene a few centuries later..." she warms a little...

"It's a neat part, actually...I get to be evil...I even blind and murder my own son..."

Hmmn...Yes...Andrew frowns...But you will be filming together at the same time...

Ummn...Ye...ah...she stares at him...

Andrew...Jonathan glares...

"Let us delve still deeper into our Mr. Mechamber...And his long-time relationship with our star..." Andrew begins...

"Lets...Not..." Libby smiles...Warmly...But a long, narrow look at her interviewer...

Play Libby's theme (You've Got Hide Your Love Away)...

"Turning to other subjects..." Andrew looks away...

"Giles..." Buffy eyed her Watcher narrowly...

I am not...Jealous...Of my twin...

"I'm glad for William that he has her to help him...Maybe I have a few random memories from when our minds were merged...But I've worked through that..."

You saw me with them in England last week...Did I act like a jealous sister?...she asked in a precise tone...

"Well..." Giles smiled thinly... "Lets see..."

Despite Warren's presence you spent the entire time in England with them...Almost every second...Continually finding excuses to be with them even when it was quite clear to me...And everyone else that William and your sister were hoping to slip away together during the break in his training...

"I was trying to show my support for Will...A little solidarity..."

Buffy...Giles eyed her...

"Your sister sprang from your mind...Including her feelings for William...Even before your little mind-merging...Those were feelings taken from you..."

She hopped up... "I was never in love with Spike before!...You know that...!"

You nearly married him...he looked at her...

"Willow had me under a spell...I'd've married you if she'd arranged it that way..."

And he came to love you after the chip had begun to drive Spike down...

"So..." she waved a hand...

Lotta underworld types fall for the Slayer...I even think little Willie likes me...

"Loved you so much that he overcame his nature when a version of you offered him a chance to prove himself...And now, he's practically free of Spike...All due to the love you couldn't bring yourself to offer him..."

The love you've had for him...Quite a long time, Buffy...he stared at her...

A crash from the rear of the store...The training room...They looked up...

"I'm fine...Just knocked the target dummy over..." Basey called faintly...They sat back down...Buffy collecting herself a bit...

And broke a few of Giles' prized antique weapons...Oh...Geesh...Basey did not say...For now...

"Your "sister" spoke to me at some length...Before she left with William initially...And in England last week when she finally...And quite nervously, I should add...Let you take him shopping alone..."

"BR was nervous about us shopping for a coupla hours...?" Buffy stared...

"What did she say to you...?"

"She told me...That she knew now you both had loved Spike...Well, William at least...For a very long time...How exactly she knew that...And how long...She wasn't sure...But she knew it...And she knew you knew it as well..."

"Oh...?" she asked coldly...Great twin I got...When the hell did I ask her to speak to Giles for me...?

"She knew you'd be furious about her talking to me about this, Buffy...But she felt it was important that someone else knew what you were going through..."

"Fine...So I felt for Spike before BR and I merged...Only natural...I'm the Slayer...I feel for my victims...Even my potential ones...At least when they start acting humanish again..."

"Angel's human name was...Liam, wasn't it?..." he asked her...

Which is a derivative of William...

"What?..." she stared at him...

"I did say...A very long time, Buffy..."

"And so...Gentle Viewer...We conclude our interview with Ms. Libby Marsden, lead actress of "Mona and the Monsters..."...Who has brought Mona to life with charm, wit, courage, and delicate grace...For which we give our humblest and most grateful thanks..." Andrew nodded graciously to Libby who beamed at him...Cut...He waved to Jonathan...

Aw...Guys...she grinned...That was really...

"I wrote that ending..." Jonathan hastily noted...

You guys...she got up...Hugging them both...A cheek kiss for each...

"So which one of you is gonna ask me out first...?" she smiled...

Out...? Jonathan stared, jaw dropped...

"But I'm paying...Ummn that is, if you're both free tonight...?" she stared...

Ummn...They looked at each other...

"Yeah...I think our social calendar is clear for tonight..." Andrew nodded...

"Okay then..." Libby grinned... "But first...I came through on my end..." she paused...

"O...K..." Andrew sighed...

Wait...she put up a hand...Lemme get one thing...er two things...She raced out...

"Do we gotta do this?..." Andrew frowned...

Libby Marsden kissed me...Jonathan sighed...Picking up the video camera...

"Oh...I will never wash this cheek again..."

"You haven't washed it in two weeks...Shouldn't be that hard..." Andrew noted..."Where do you think she'll take us, anyway...?"

Heaven...Wherever she takes us...It will be...Heaven...Jonathan sighed...

Oh...God, don't let this be residual from my spell...he thought...

She raced back in...A magnifying glass in one hand, a skull in the other...And took a position back at the desk...Looking solemnly at Andrew...Who sighed and put his reporter's hat back on...

"Jonathan...?" she called...

Roll 'em...

He started the video camera, focusing on her...She sat, carefully eyeing the skull through the glass, still with solemn air...

And glanced at Andrew...Who came over...

"Professor..." he banged on the desk...Giving it his reluctant best...

"I've got to know!...Who threw those pies?..."

Oh...Libby looked up to the camera...Grinning...

"I threw the pies...Heh...ha, ha...ha, ha..."

Yes...Andrew turned to the camera...Our star displaying her remarkable facility for classic scenes...

"As you, gentle viewer, may not recall...That was a scene from a short film by the...Three Stooges..."

Very humorous...he noted to the camera with a slight frown...

Heh...ha, ha...ha, ha...Libby chuckled...

"And...Cut...Cu...ut..." Andrew glared, waving his arms and drawing his forefinger across his throat in a hurried gesture at Jonathan...Who beamed at the Libby...Who'd kissed him...

"That was just great..." he gushed...

Thanks...Libby smiled warmly back...

"I always wanted to do that one...Hey, guys!..." she had a sudden inspiration...

"I was talking to Xander Harris about a Three Stooges Mona tribute episode...The Shemp one where they're detectives?...We have Mona unconscious and dreaming while a Stooges marathon's on TV..."

I'd get to be evil...Mona as the "nice" niece...You know that one?...

"Oh, yeah..." Jonathan nodded... "Great..."

Andrew gave a slight look of disdain...More...Stooges?...

"You guys could be in it..." she grinned...

That hat is perfect for one of the detectives, Andrew...

Really...? he stared...Well, naturally...Hmmn...Perhaps one could view it as a chance to lighten the dark side of Mona...he thought...Show shouldn't be all gloom first season...

Wait a minute...she wants me to be a...Stooge?...

"And Sydney says he'd love to do the old uncle, Ole Man Goodrich...Get outta the Demontos costume for a bit..."

"That'd be fantastic...Thanks..." Jonathan nodded...

Right, Andrew?...he gave a slight glare...

It might...Amuse the fans...Andrew noted...A little kitschy comedy...

"Well...We'd better go and get ready...Tomorrow we'll see if the network will let us run this on the site..." Jonathan smiled at her...

"Ok...Xander and I will run the episode idea past Job tomorrow and I'll let you guys know...Thanks, Andrew..." she waved as they left... "Lets meet back here in...An hour?..."

Yeah, yeah...he nodded...Thanks...

"Hey...Go over to Tony in wardrobe...Tell him I said to dress you up nice, fellas...I got a good place in mind..." she called...

Jonathan followed him...And whacked his arm as soon as the door had closed...

"Andrew...Geesh...What were you doing back there...? She was great..." he hissed as they headed back to the lair of the webmasters...

Three Stooges...She likes the Three Stooges...Andrew shook his head...

"I like the Stooges...So did you, before you got so...Persnickety..." Jonathan stared at his fellow acolyte...

Persnickety?...Andrew stared back...Pulling his head back sharply...

Geesh...Why don't you just claim I'm gay or something?...he groused...

Sorry...Jonathan apologized...

Just think Mona should have a leetle more...Dignity...In her choice of comic roles...

"Ms. Marsden..." Jonathan frowned..."Libby..." he involuntarily grinned, as he continued... "Has all the dignity Mona needs...And then some..."

"Well...In any case...I suppose it will make her seem more...Human...To her fans..." Andrew relented...

Jonathan waved a hand...More important concerns pressing...

"What are we gonna wear...?" he eyed his fellow acolyte... "We've got nothing to wear..." he fretted...

"She said to see Tony in wardrobe..." Andrew noted calmly... "He'll know..."

Tony, right...Ok...Lets go...Jonathan dragged him off...

"You know, Andrew...Sometimes...You really show a dark side potential..." he sighed to him as they headed over to wardrobe...

"I guess you're right..." Andrew nodded... "But then, I come from a dark heritage...As you know..."

Tucker...Jonathan nodded back...

There are times I see myself...In a different existence...Andrew mused...

Evil...And on the brink of world domination...

Jonathan looked at him...

Hmmn...

"You know, sometimes...I've seen you in another existence too...In love with Warren Mears and baking things for Buffy and her other Slayer sisters..."

Oh...Andrew looked at him...

You've seen that, too...? he asked...

"What?...I was kidding..." Jonathan glared...C'mon, he frowned...

"Mona and The Monsters"...Part XXVI...

PG13

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/buffyrebecca

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

Summary: Back in Sunnydale Buffy takes a job backstage on a ground-breaking new TV series while Buffy Rebecca and Walthrop/Spike are away on their European honeymoon...

(See part XVIII posted for a background review...Or better yet read "Sunnydalopolis" and "The Tie that Binds" at my BR verse page link above)

Part XXVI...

"It's..." Giles sadly paused, staring at the broken crossbow, a priceless item from the reign of Henry IV...

"Nothing...My dear...Just an old crossbow..."

Basey gulping slightly again...Just enough history under her belt to guess...

Still, he was just a librarian here in Sunnydale before, right?...He couldn't have afforded something really...

On the other hand, Watcher...Master Watcher...And BR was kinda proudly laying it on the other day from England by video link as to how much William could be making from them if they hadn't decided in view of his success in cybernetics with ole Warren to hand his salary over to a fund for Slayers-in-Training...A rather neat little "selfless Watcher-candidate" pr move on Buffy Rebecca's part...Guaranteed to sit well with the Council, reflecting their own utter lack of interest

(Giles, Buffy, and Warren in England watching the Walthrops' joint speech from the Council gallery had rolled eyes in unison on that one)

in mercenary reward...

And Buf did say as to how he'd covered her and Dawn preety generously after Joyce passed away...Oh, God...

"I'm so sorry, Rupert..."she sighed...Buffy frowning from behind Giles...

God...If I'd ever so much as scratched the finish on that one...she thought...

"I'll get it fixed...I promise..." Ms. Granger insisted... "Whatever it costs..."

"It's likely to cost quite a lot, dear...Please, don't worry about it...You and Buffy and her twin may never receive a proper reward from Humanity...But at least you can allow those of us who are in the know to occasionally do something for you..."

That much eh?...she thought...Whoa...She turned it over...

"Henry Percy...1...4...0...Yikes!..." she read a worn inscription...Double whoa!...

"This belonged to Henry Percy?...Not the Henry Percy?...Hotspur and Hal and all that?..."

Who's Henry Percy Hotspur?...And Hal?...Buffy thought...Never heard of them...Unless she means the computer voice in "2001..."?

William would know...she thought...And I bet sis would've known...she sulked a bit...But only by way of Warren's supplemental memory...

"Yes, the Henry Percy..." Giles sighed... "But not to worry, Basey..."

Besides...he smiled, a bit less frozenly now...

"I can charge it off to the Council as damage in the course of my duties in working with the Slayers..." he gently cradled it in his arms and headed for the ladder to his rare books collection...

"Absolutely...A training accident..." Basey vigorously nodded to him as he moved off...Trying not to reread that date on the inscription...140...God!

So...It was English, right?...Buffy hissed as Giles went up...And old?...Real old?...

"Oh, yeah..." Ms. Granger sighed...And he will never let me near it again in this life, no doubt in my mind...she thought...

Hmpf, I knew it...Well...Maybe I'm not so bad at English history at that...Even without my own back-up supplemental memory...Buffy thought contentedly...

Not that I'm competing or anything with sis...For once, Giles is absolutely, positively out of his...

"Oh, Buffy?..." Giles called down, emerging from where he'd locked his precious artifact, never again to be allowed out...

"Did you have a chance to speak to Harmony since our return?...Regarding her wanting to rehearse a bit with you?...She was quite anxious the other night that we ask about it..."

Harmony?...Rehearse...? Basey eyed her fellow Slayer...

"She's still on that kick...?"

"Yeah..." Buffy nodded...

Scodos brought her along the other night...When we met to discuss additional jobs for his "people" at Warren's...

"I said ok...We're gonna do a couple of scene together..."

Basey frowned slightly...

"On the set, well-lit, plenty of folks about...Mr. Pointy in my pocket..." Buffy shrugged...

She seemed kinda set on it, poor kid...Didn't have the heart to say no...

"The...Heart..." she eyed Basey... "Make sure you get that right when you tell Willow..."

Heck, "Mona"...And my twin...Aren't the only monster killers capable of feeling for the condemned...she thought...

"Whoa, guys..." Libby looked the acolytes over from head to toe...

"Ms. Marsden..." Jonathan, decked out in tux, curtsey Job Wescox Productions, gave a slightly swaggering nod of the head...The star-quality groomed head...

Andrew likewise dolled up...Giving a polite half-bow...

Tony of costuming...Bearing rather a deep crush of his own on JW Productions' leading lady...And being rather a selfless artist in his own right...Had undoubtedly outdone himself...

If he couldn't be tonight's escort...He'd been determined that his creations would be worthy...

"God...I dunno if I'm quite up to you two..." she grinned...

However, Ms. Marsden had had every intention of turning on the full star power for her dates...And in her simple yet elegant black and blue dress...Made the grade...And then some...

"You look great...Ms. Marsden..." Jonathan sighed...

Absolutely...Andrew heartily seconded...

"Libby, fellas...We're off duty..." she grinned...

Well...Mostly off duty...

"Still got the reputation of "Mona ..." to uphold, eh guys?..." she offered an arm to each...

Naturally...Andrew nodded...Jonathan still trying to recover as he carefully tucked her hand under his elbow and onto his forearm...

"Boys...Shall we paint the town?..." Libby beamed at her escorts in turn...

Andrew gave a casually affirmative nod...As they headed out for the waiting limo...

God, I hope Buffy and Ms. Granger really do have things under control in town...Jonathan thought nervously as the driver held the door...

I mean, my spell being unavailable, my willingness to die at an instant for Libby tonight would hardly make an effective difference if something goes wrong...

Still...Most underdwellers can't really afford the places a major star would frequent...Even on a steady paycheck as they are now...

"Ok...Cut...Very nice, guys..." Wescox smiled at the demons and actors...er actors...Completing the final night scene of episode six...Sidney grinning back in full Demontos costume...

"Well done, Jerome..." he smiled at his companion, Jerome...the now out-of-his-prolonged-retirement fellow thespian...In equally appropriate dress...Though rather less make-up...

I would've bet money on our chances in defeating our "Mona" in that one...he grinned...

"And a great scene, Bill..." he called over to a beaming Grieg...Already receiving praise from a very content and therefore, more agitated than ever, Job...

Well...Thank you, sir...Jerome beamed...But loyally added... "I'm sure "Mona" will get the better of us..."

"Lets hope so...I'd hate to see this thing end abruptly now..." Mechamber chuckled...Wiping a little sweat...

So long as we get to crawl away for a comeback each week...he noted...

"Indeed, sir..." Jerome nodded...

"We'll add the scenes with Libby and Dawn tomorrow night..." Wescox boomed excitedly, coming over... "Fellas, this is gonna make the season...Excellent job..."

Mechamber swayed a bit...Sir?...Jerome steadied him...

"Sid?..." Wescox hurried over...

Fine...Job...Fine...Sidney nodded...Hand to his head...

"How's about taking ten in your trailer...?" Job eyed him...

"God, Wescox..." Mechamber grinned... "I hope you're not suggesting we do that one over...And I have a date tonight...My girls are coming up..."

"Just wanna be sure my prima donna star is up for tomorrow..." Wescox smiled back...A steady look...

Always...Job...Always...Sidney eyed him back...Equally steady...

"And as you see, right as rain..." he straightened up and grinned...

"Demontos rides again...But, I hope...Not tonight, slavedriver..."

"I'd say what we got will pass...It's only about ten times better than anything else on television today...But it'll pass..." Job grinned back...But paused before turning away...

"About tomorrow, Sid...If you'll be up with your daughters til all hours...And..."

I'll be in...At my regular time, pal...Sidney noted...

"The things they'll do to save a few bucks in TV, eh Jerome?..." Mechamber grinned at him...

Hmmn...Jerome stared at the two...

"Tomorrow as usual..." Wescox nodded... "Hey, Bill!...I got an idea to go over with ya for tomorrow!..." he called over to Grieg...

"And so...Mona...You die...Ha! Ha-ha!...Ha-ha!..." Dawn leered at Xander...As they stood in the Summers' living room...Leroy a worshipful audience...

Anya, perhaps less so...

Demons don't laugh like that before a triumph...Anya frowned to herself...Even Angelis and the Master were more restrained in the gloating...

Mr. Mechamber's Demontos doesn't carp like that...

And you rear back...In triumph...Xander noted...Eyeing the script...

Dawn reared back...A triumphant look in her eyes...

Borrowed from what she remembered of Glory...

"Then Mona cuts my head off?..." she eyed him...

She wouldn't if you'd can the laughing and pay attention to what's going on...Anya thought... "Demon Queen"...

"After you reveal yourself to her completely..." Xander raised a finger...

"She still doesn't know you're sweet little Ilsa yet..."

Oh...Right...Dawn nodded...Thumbing through the script...Yeah...

"Poor dear Mona...So trusting...Such a fool..." she smiled evilly at Xander...Who attempted to register Mona's shock and horror at learning her poor sister's trusted, innocent young friend was in fact a hideous fiend...

I take the Ilsa form now...Dawn explained to the captivated Leroy...Via special effects...

Hmmn...Anya nodded slightly to herself...A little better...

And it's not Dawn's...Or Assistant Writer Harris' for that matter... fault...Wescox wrote the scene himself...

"Ilsa...?" Xander gasped, doing his best at a "Mona" imitation...

"Ilsa..." Dawn sneered... "Sweet, helpless Ilsa...Who now will finish the job...Properly...My partner Demontos botched so badly...!"

"You killed my sister..." Xander made a stab at the higher register...With middling results...

Mona got a sister?...Leroy hissed to Anya...I thought she only had a brother...

"Just for a couple of episodes...Her younger sis comes home from boarding school with Ilsa/the Demon Queen in tow..." Anya explained...

Dawn killed Mona's sis?...Leroy's eyes widened...Partly in horror...Partly...

In admiration...

"Yeah...But just for the show, Leroy...Not for real...And it's the Demon Queen who kills Mona's kid sis..."

And rather nice to see a demon leader showing a little sense...Anya thought...Moving right on to the immediate family, none of this slow-moving (slow-witted, I'd say) Angelis style build-up...

"Yes..." Dawn reverted to Demon Queen mode...Affecting an air of haughty grandeur and the extra height the props guys gave her for the DQ scenes... "I killed your sister...The little fool could've worshiped me and lived as my own...But she chose the Light...Like sister...Like foolish sister..." she sneered...

Please don't tell me Mona prays for her sister now...Anya thought...

Ok...Mona's pal's little sis Janey...Miss Cooke...Comes in now from the rear...And lets you have it in the back...Xander reads...

She never trusted Ilsa...he notes...

Arggh!...Dawn staggers to the side a bit...

And...Mona rises up...Sword by her side...Xander reads...And...

Swooope...!

"And my head winds up on the pavement..." Dawn grinned at Leroy...Who blinked...

"Well...?" Xander eyed Anya...Who shook her head...

Bit of an insult to female demons, actually...We're...Er, they're...certainly as smart as Mr. Mechamber's Demontos...

You don't see him stupid enough to go head to head with Mona without preety heavy support, hefty firepower...And an escape route all planned out...

"The Demon Queen's only a guest villain, An..." Xander pointed out...

"We gotta kill her off in a coupla episodes...And she has to be less able than Demontos if he's not to lose face..."

I think I do preety damned well...Dawn noted...

"I take out Mona's sis...Did any of Buffy's ever do so well?..."


End file.
